White House Hacked, Sequestration Threatens Cyber, and More

By AlexOlesker

Here is today’s federal cybersecurity and information technology news:

• White House sources confirm that Chinese hackers penetrated unclassified networks with a spear phishing attack against the White House Communications Agency. More here.
• Sequestration threatens the bipartisan agreement that cybersecurity needs more funding. More here.
• The White House gathered senior government leaders and private sector entrepreneurs for “Energy Datapalooza”to showcase applications using government data in the energy sector. More here.
• The Anti-Phishing Working Group hosted a global cybersecurity summit in Puerto Rico in collaboration with the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, the Organization of American States, and the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers. More here.
• The Government Accountability Office reports that the Department of Labor needs to share information and lessons learned on modernizing unemployment insurance systems. More here.
• Robert J. Carey, the Department of Defense deputy chief information officer, said that cybersecurity is everybody’s responsibility and safe practices must be second nature. More here.
• Due to budget restrictions, the Defense Information Systems Agency says that funding for the Joint Information Environment must be joint as well. More here.
• If Congress does not pass cyber information sharing reforms, the Department of Homeland Security may extend the National Cybersecurity and Communications Integration Center to critical industries. More here.
• General Keith Alexander, head of U.S. Cyber Command and the National Security Agency, recommended that the Department of Homeland Security lead any cybersecurity information sharing initiative between the private and public sector. More here.

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