NSA Is Giving Microsoft Some Help On Windows 7 Security

By Kevin Whitelaw

The National Security Agency has been working with Microsoft Corp. to help improve security measures for its new Windows 7 operating system, a senior NSA official said on Tuesday.

The confirmation of the NSA’s role, which began during the development of the software, is a sign of the agency’s deepening involvement with the private sector when it comes to building defenses against cyberattacks.

“Working in partnership with Microsoft and (the Department of Defense), NSA leveraged our unique expertise and operational knowledge of system threats and vulnerabilities to enhance Microsoft’s operating system security guide without constraining the user’s ability to perform their everyday tasks,” Richard Schaeffer, the NSA’s Information Assurance Director, told the Senate Judiciary Committee in a statement prepared for a hearing held this morning in Washington. “All this was done in coordination with the product release, not months or years later in the product cycle.” More…

US cyber security is back on the agenda

Barack Obama made an initial review of US cyber security, but pressure is growing for the president to take further action

by Peter Warren
guardian.co.uk, Wednesday 9 December 2009 19.05 GMT

For the past month or so a curious game has been going on in the world of rumour and uncertainty that passes for the intelligence community. At the heart of it is an attempt to force the US president, Barack Obama, to put cyber security back to the top of his agenda and to usher in increased monitoring of the internet.

Despite an initial promise of action and a demand for a report on the risks to the US technology infrastructure to be on his desk in 60 days, little in policy terms has been heard since.

Even more frustratingly for the computer-security community, Obama has also not filled the much-trumpeted post of cyber czar. Melissa Hathaway, the White House’s senior acting director for cyberspace and the author of Obama’s 60-day review of cyber policy, had been widely tipped for the position – but four months ago she resigned, citing personal reasons for her decision. More…

Academy to emphasize cybersecurity Change will bring school in line with new Navy directives

Looking at the next great threat to the nation, Naval Academy officials told the institution’s oversight board yesterday that they plan to make cybersecurity a required field of study for all midshipmen. Advertisement Academy Superintendent Vice Adm. Jeffrey Fowler told the Board of Visitors that cyberspace will be the next battleground.

ODNI ANNOUNCES SENIOR EXECUTIVES’ MOVES Ambassador Joseph R. DeTrani to Serve as New NCPC Director

Ambassador Joseph R. DeTrani will become the new director of the National Counterproliferation Center
(NCPC) next month, and Sylvia L. Copeland, an accomplished executive in the Intelligence Community, will
replace him as mission manager for North Korea, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence announced
today.

The move stems from a decision by Ambassador Kenneth C. Brill, NCPC’s founding director, to return to the
State Department and then retire from the U.S. Foreign Service.

Budget Activity in the Intelligence Community

Across the board, new requirements are emerging from the Intelligence Community. New contracts are being awarded and more Intelligence Community Jobs are created (finally).

A large number of Request for Information (RFI’s) have been issued and this is important for later activity.

It appears that the Administration and Congress are finally starting to move.