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RAND Issues New Report on Cybersecurity

The RAND Corp. has released "Cyberdeterrence and Cyberwar," a new look at the protection of cyber infrastructure.  Pointing out that the protection of cyberspace has become a national priority since cyberspace is now the dominant information medium, the report argues that cyberwar and cyber defense are nothing like traditional defense and warfare.  "Cyberspace has its own laws; for instance, it is easy to hide identities and difficult to predict or even understand battle damage, and attacks deplete themselves quickly. The author explores these in detail and uses the results to address such issues as the pros and cons of counterattack, the value of deterrence and vigilance, and other actions the United States and the U.S. Air Force can take to protect itself in the face of deliberate cyberattack."

To read the full report, click here.

INSA Calls for Public-Private Partnership to Address Cyber Security

The Intelligence and National Security Alliance (INSA) has just released a white paper on cyber security, "Addressing Cyber Security Through Public-Private Partnership."  The paper proposes that a public-private partnership is the best approach for addressing cyber security issues and examines three existing models as examples of successful partnerships. The paper argues that private industry should set cyber security standards, while the federal government -- led by DHS -- should be responsible for cyber regulation, enforcement of laws, defense against threats, and response to threats.  INSA believes that a public-private partnership for cyber security can be initiated by private industry, presidential initiative, or Congresssional initiative, but stresses that no matter who takes ownership, it is crucial that one entity take ownership now and begin to systematically address the cyber security issue through a partnership comprised of all stakeholders.

To read the entire paper, click here.

New report: 'Identify Theft: Trends and Issues'

The Congressional Researech Service has issued a new report, "Identify Theft: Trends and Issues."

From the introduction:

In the wake of the economic downturn, policymakers are increasingly concerned with securing the economic health of the United States—including combating those crimes that threaten to further undermine the nation’s financial stability. Identity theft is one such crime. It is the fastest growing type of fraud in the United States; in 2008 about 9.9 million Americans were reportedly victims of identity theft, an increase of 22% from the number of cases in 2007. In addition, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) estimates that it costs consumers about $50 billion annually. Identity theft is often committed to facilitate other crimes such as credit card fraud, document fraud, or employment fraud, which in turn can affect not only the nation’s economy but its security. Consequently, in securing the nation and it’s economic health, policymakers are also tasked with reducing identity theft and its impact. More details on the link exchange directory.

Download the report as a 31-page PDF.

New report from Deloitte on need for global cybersecurity

Deloitte Touche has released a report, "Cybersecurity: Everybody’s Imperative -- Protecting our economies, governments, and citizens":

From the introduction:

Governments around the world need to address cybersecurity urgently so organizations can survive, thrive, and enable economic growth. Cyberspace, which began as an electronic adjunct to other domains such as commerce, today is a domain unto itself, and organizations of all types must be able to function effectively in cyberspace in order to survive.

The problem is that cyber culture is growing faster than cybersecurity, so everything that depends on cyberspace is at risk. Private data, intellectual property, infrastructure and even military and national security can be compromised by deliberate attacks, inadvertent security lapses, and the inherent vulnerabilities of the Internet. On top of this, the current global economic crisis is amplifying these threats.
Governments need to partner with the private sector, citizens, and other governments to work on a holistic, transnational solution that goes beyond technology to combat these threats and enable global commerce, greater transparency in government, and improved data protection. The stakes are high but the risks are even higher: isolation, cyber protectionism, and an inadequate balance between security and civil liberties.

The solution: We must address cybersecurity and the changes in habits and lifestyle that go with it, because there’s no way back.

• Download the report as a 16-page PDF

FBI assesses impact of Internet fraud in newly released annual report

The FBI has released its annual report on Internet crime.

From the summary:

"This report provides a snapshot of the prevalence and impact of Internet fraud. Care must be taken to avoid drawing conclusions about the 'typical' victim or perpetrator of these types of crimes. Anyone who utilizes the Internet is susceptible, and IC3 has received complaints from both males and females ranging in age from ten to one hundred years old. Complainants can be found in all fifty states, in dozens of countries worldwide, and have been affected by everything from work-at-home schemes to identity theft."

Download the 28-page report as a pdf

Suspected cyber espionage network is documented in new report

A new report from the Information War Monitor claims to document the GhostNet - a suspected cyber espionage network of more than 1,295 infected computers in 103 countries, 30% of which are high-value targets, including ministries of foreign affairs, embassies, international organizations, news media, and NGOs.

From the web page:

"The capabilities of GhostNet are far-reaching. The report reveals that Tibetan computer systems were compromised giving attackers access to potentially sensitive information, including documents from the private office of the Dalai Lama. The report presents evidence showing that numerous computer systems were compromised in ways that circumstantially point to China as the culprit. But the report is careful not to draw conclusions about the exact motivation or the identity of the attacker(s), or how to accurately characterize this network of infections as a whole. The report argues that attribution can be obscured.

"The report concludes that who is in control of GhostNet is less important than the opportunity for generating strategic intelligence that it represents. The report underscores the growing capabilities of computer network exploitation, the ease by which cyberspace can be used as a vector for new do-it-yourself form of signals intelligence. It ends with warning to policy makers that information security requires serious attention."

• View the report online.
• Read related article in New York Times.

'Terrorists' New Domain: Virtual Worlds in Cyberspace,' a new report from Corporate Risk International

From the introduction:

"With the widespread use of technology, unprecedented numbers of people are gaining access to the internet, increasing global connectivity.  Although people use numerous formats to connect to each other, the use of virtual worlds for communication is becoming exceedingly popular.  What began as text-only chat rooms, virtual worlds have developed into three-dimensional environments, with users socializing, communicating, learning, and in some cases, conducting commercial activities.  This multi-functional environment has sparked fears among intelligence and security experts that virtual worlds are also becoming a new meeting point for criminal and terrorist organizations.  Criminals and terrorists can meet anonymously to recruit, organize, plan, and even potentially train for attacks and criminal operations.  In addition, users' actions inside a virtual world can sometimes have dire consequences in the real world."

Download the report as a pdf