DHS tests power plant cybersecurity

Federal Drive

DHS tests power plant cybersecurity

Security Threat Report reveals attitudes to cyberwarfare, Patch or we go public, says bug bounty program

Federal News Network Staff

August 5, 2010 8:30 am

2 min read

Cybersecurity Update – Tune in weekdays at 30 minutes past the hour for the latest cybersecurity news on the Federal Drive with Tom Temin and Amy Morris (6-10 a.m.) and the DorobekINSIDER with Chris Dorobek (3-7 p.m.). Computerworld reports that DHS has created four teams – so far – to test the systems. Eventually ten teams are expected to be in the field next year. The special teams are part of the Industrial Control Systems Computer Emergency Response Team, designed to help critical infrastructure industries respond to cyber incidents.

A new survey of computer users uncovers some alarming attitudes towards international cyber-espionage. 63% of those polled by SophosLabs believe that it is acceptable for their country to spy on other nations by hacking or installing malware. To hear more about the most dangerous cyberthreats for companies on the Federal Drive with senior threat researcher, Beth Jones, click here.

No more Mister Nice Guy. That’s the word from Tipping Point, a maker of cyber security devices. The company has a practice of paying computer geeks and researchers to find security bugs in popular software. It notifies the software vendors of the bugs. And it uses the information to improve its own products. It’s all part of what the company calls its Zero Day Initiative. But now, Tipping Point says it will give software vendors a six month deadline to patch their vulnerabilities, instead of all the time they want. After six months, Tipping Point will go public with the bug information, according to Computer World.

Check out all of Federal News Radio’s coverage of cybersecurity issues here.