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Until Congress authorizes new powers, the Administration cannot force businesses to shield their computers or disclose computer breaches, which experts say are key to stopping intrusions by increasingly sophisticated actors and hostile nations. The thinking behind the executive order is that taking one year to achieve consensus with industry on voluntary information-sharing and security controls will enable new laws to immediately take effect, whenever Congress acts.
The measures allow operators of critical infrastructure networks to see classified intelligence on detected threats. This move expands a program that had been exclusive to defense contractors to power plants, water treatment facilities and other vital businesses that, if disrupted, would upend national or economic security. The guidelines also task the National Institute of Standards and Technology -- which has a good rapport with industry -- to co-develop cyber controls for those sectors. Under Tuesday’s directives, the government will align a framework of standards, methodologies, procedures and processes to "reduce cyber risks to critical infrastructure." It is unclear how many companies will choose to participate in the new initiative. Part of the reason lawmakers have not passed even voluntary cyber reforms is that businesses and many Republicans fear optional measures eventually could become mandatory. The executive order did not allay those fears. While pleased the order grants DHS significant oversight, the Republican head of the House Homeland Security Committee expressed misgivings about the policy’s potential for mission creep.
Obama’s Cyber Executive Order Lays Foundation for Mandatory Regulation
A first step. That’s how President Obama’s executive order concerning “Improving Critical Infrastructure Cybersecurity,” is being widely described.
What the order really amounts to is a starting gun on the renewed push by the White House to get a new cybersecurity bill through Congress this year. One thing that is happening: Companies in the information security space are seeing their share prices rise today, in part on assumptions that digital securities concerns topping the national agenda could mean new business in the coming year. Shares of Symantec opened higher in early trading, as did shares of Intel, which owns software security company McAfee. Checkpoint Software also rose.
Cybersecurity Order Aims for a Restart With Congress
Administration officials said that despite a new cybersecurity executive order, Congress must still enact legislation to better protect the nation's critical computer systems from hackers.
"This executive order is only a downpayment on what we need to address this threat," National Security Agency Director Keith Alexander said during an event at the Commerce Department to discuss the administration's action. "This executive order can only move us so far and is not a substitute for legislation." He emphasized that, unlike legislation, the order cannot grant agencies any new powers or authorities. White House Cybersecurity Coordinator Michael Daniel explained that the administration must still work with lawmakers and industry groups to craft and implement the security standards. "The hard work is actually ahead of us in implementing the [executive order] and making it reality," he said. Dr. Patrick Gallagher, director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology, said his agency will take the first step toward implementing the order by issuing a request for input from the public. He emphasized that the standards are voluntary and are aimed at helping companies better protect their systems. Deputy Attorney General James Cole argued that the executive order includes important safeguards to ensure that companies do not expose their customers' personal information to the government.
Administration warns cybersecurity order not enough, urges Congress to act
Tech industry leaders and observers were quick to weigh in on the cybersecurity executive order.
The Center for Democracy and Technology praised President Barack Obama for an order that addresses privacy concerns from the beginning of the design process rather than after the fact. "By explicitly requiring adherence to fair information practice principles, the order adopts a comprehensive formulation of privacy,” said the group’s president, Leslie Harris. “The annual privacy assessment, properly done, can create accountability to the public for government actions taken in the name of cybersecurity.” Sens Jay Rockefeller (D-WV) and Tom Carper (D-DE), chairman of the Senate Commerce and Homeland Security committees, said that they would work with the Administration to shepherd new legislation through Congress as quickly as possible. House Republicans said they were glad the order establishes the Department of Homeland Security as a leader on cybersecurity issues, but that the Administration should be careful to take a hands-off approach to legislation.
Politicians, privacy advocates weigh in on cybersecurity exec order
Social media users were busy sharing their opinions during the State of the Union speech, with President Barack Obama’s words about improving the economy getting the most social traction of the night.
Twitter has published its summary of the night, noting the biggest spikes in messages when the president said that he wants to help the middle class build “ladders of opportunity.” The phrase “minimum wage” also made Facebook’s list of trending terms after the speech — though just barely — coming in 10th on the list. Gun control was another moment of chatter during and after the speech. Twitter noted that there were 23,700 tweets per minute when the president went through his list of gun crime victims who “deserve a vote.” Microsoft’s Bing was also measuring real-time reaction to the State of the Union, offering some key insights into the most divisive moments of the speech.
SOTU winners and losers, according to social media
A new report says the global mobile phone market declined by 1.7% in 2012, down from 1.78 billion devices sold in 2011 to 1.75 in 2012. This is the first time the global mobile sales have fallen from the previous year since 2009, according to Gartner, the research firm that put together the report.
“Tough economic conditions, shifting consumer preferences and intense market competition weakened the worldwide mobile phone market this year,” the report says. Another reason for the drop is the weakening demand for feature phones, which possess some smartphone abilities but are limited. While smartphones had record sales and were up 38.3% for the fourth quarter of 2012, feature phone sales fell by 19.3% -- and that decline is expected to continue. As a whole, however, the report predicts the mobile market will do better next year. Gartner says it expects mobile sales to reach 1.9 billion in 2013 -- with a 1 billion coming solely from smartphones.
Global mobile phone sales decline for first time since 2009 Smartphone Sales Near 1 Billion (MediaPost)
In the wake of a hacking hoax in which stations' emergency alert systems (EAS) were hijacked for a zombie warning, the Federal Communications Commission issued an urgent alert to stations and cable operators to update their EAS equipment, including resetting their passwords and making sure the systems' defenses are in order.
FCC Urges Stations, Cable Ops to Shore Up Emergency Alert Defenses
The Federal Communications Commission seeks nominations to replace a municipal official member and a Tribal member on the Commission’s Intergovernmental Advisory Committee (IAC).
The IAC, comprised of 15 representatives from local, state, and Tribal governments, advises the Commission on a range of telecommunication issues for which their governments explicitly or inherently share responsibility or administration with the FCC. The term of operations of the reauthorized IAC is two years, with an option for another two year term. The current IAC term commenced with its first meeting on December 2, 2011 and will conclude in December 2013. One of the four municipal representatives and one of the three Tribal representatives are no longer members of the IAC. The FCC therefore seeks nominations for a fourth elected municipal official representative and a third elected or appointed Tribal representative to replace the departed members.
FCC Seeks Nominations For Municipal and Tribal Representatives On The Intergovernmental Advisory Committee
The First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet) announced its intention to make seven regional wireless connectivity projects the first test sites for the National Public Safety Broadband Network.
Under a resolution adopted by the FirstNet board of directors, the authority now has 90 days to enter into separate lease agreements with each project entity to use the 700 MHz spectrum for operation of a wireless public safety network. Each of the seven regions are 2010 Broadband Technology Opportunities Program (BTOP) grant winners. Their funding was partially suspended in 2012 by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) when the Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012 established FirstNet.
Will FirstNet Move Forward With Local Broadband Projects?
Ads are part of the very fabric of our society, and have been for years. But ad execs want to stick with what works: It’s why the bulk of today’s industry ad budgets are still pointed at traditional mediums like television, print and the like. Not for long, according to Google SVP and chief business officer Nikesh Arora. “There’s currently about $800 billion in the global advertising market today. That’s a very large number, but online advertising accounts for less than $100 billion of that number,” Arora said. “There is a reasonable probability that over 50 percent of advertising goes online in the next five years.” Ambitious, to say the least.
Google’s Biz Chief: 50 Percent of Ads Will Go Online in the Next Five Years