Border enforcement, land management bill redefines borders 100 miles inland from coasts

REDUX: Obama moves forward with Internet ID plan, NSTIC

"A 55-page document (PDF) released by the White House today adds a few more details to the proposal, which still remains mostly hazy and inchoate. " 

- More at Privacy Inc. c/o CNET.com

BTC-  NSTIC's stated aims are to provide better consumer protections against online identity theft because "passwords are broken" and to increase American economic efficacy in the online and world marketplaces.

Highlights from today's press conference featured Sen. Barbara Mukulski's work on NSTIC's piece of the cybersecurity budget and pricing to initiate the program at $25 million in taxpayer seed money. According to Andy Ozment, White House Director of Identity Management, a budget is available from the Dept. of Commerce for FY 2012.  NIST's Senior Advisor of ID Management stated that some of the NSTIC proposal structure was inspired by the Department of Defense's use of CAC cards, a smart ID card for government beneficiaries.  According to Ozment, there was no connection to legislative efforts on the Hill and the direction the NSTIC program.

Here are some examples of breaking Homeland Security and cyber privacy legislative actions this week.

• White House draft bill would put DHS in charge of civilian computer networks
• Stearns introduces online privacy bill
• Senate security will use Internet data mining to identify lawmaker threats
  
• Senators say digital privacy law covers smartphones

DHS stated that it was proud to join the Chamber of Commerce on the NSTIC effort as it continues coordination between agencies.  The security credential was inarticulately explained to an HHS audience member asking how NSTIC would be utilized for patients medical records and data handling on an International scale. While it was repeatedly stated that NSTIC plans to be private sector led, one panelist made it known that government would be,"the longest pole in the tent".  Individual's state-to-federal use of the NSTIC credential was likened to online ID encryption used by Universities.  Part of its economic strategy would affect foreign trade policy standards, with clear intent to steer International identity credentials for Internet use. CDT's, Leslie Harris and NIST were among many who vociferously challenged the prospect of the US government's new "identity ecosystem" as a national ID card program.

Meanwhile, Florida may be an early adopter of US online identity credentials and standards, as they are swiftly moving SB 1150 through the legislature.  Online authentication may be available to add to drivers licenses as soon as January 1, 2012.  Florida is also in the process of adopting Real ID compliant standards for their licenses.

Workshops, pilot programs and efforts to gather stakeholder input to implement the NSTIC program are planned for 3-5 years.

Here's second life for news that matters:  

"The administration claims participation in the identity ecosystem will be entirely voluntary and users can choose to remain anonymous online. But privacy and civil rights advocates are sure to be concerned over what could be viewed as an attempt to create a type of digital ID card." - Hillicon Valley 

With passwords "broken," US rolls out Internet identity plan

White House To Release Final Trusted Identity Plan
c/o Information Week

Commentary by Kevin Gosztola at Op-Ed News:

"Finally how appropriate is it that this plan is being unveiled at the US Chamber of Commerce? As reported by ThinkProgress in February, the US Chamber of Commerce communicated with private contractors that provide cybersecurity services to the US government -- HBGary Federal, Palantir, Berico Technologies. It discussed with these cybersecurity service providers how ChamberWatch, the SEIU, MoveOn, ThinkProgress and other groups could be targeted and proposed efforts "to steal private computer information, spy on the families of the Chamber's critics, and plant false documents within organizations opposed to the Chamber's agenda." (These same companies were also discovered to have developed plans to help Bank of America by sabotaging WikiLeaks through similar tactics."  :::MORE HERE:::

WHO'S ON BOARD:

CA Technologies Champions White House Initiative to Create "Identity Ecosystem" [Kantara Initiative]

Northrop Grumman, Microsoft, CA Technologies and CertiPath Participate in National Strategy for Trusted Identities in Cyberspace Announcement

NYTimes: How to Fix (0r Kill) Web Data About You

Dept. of Commerce "unveils" NSTIC details 4-15 (not Tax Day)

BTC - A correction was made. Tax Day is in fact April 18th, 2011 vs. April 15th as commonly considered. Unless of course, April 15th falls on a Friday.

UPDATE 4:15 EDT-
The following Department of Commerce Meeting will webcast live at 11:30 AM EDT.

4-15-2011- Doors opens at 11:00 a.m. for viewing of technology demonstrations.  Program starts at 11:30 a.m.

U.S. Commerce Secretary Gary Locke and Senior White House Officials to Unveil Administration’s National Strategy for Trusted Identities in Cyberspace

Strategy lays out vision for a more secure online environment, led by private-sector technology innovations

WASHINGTON – Tomorrow, U.S. Commerce Secretary Gary Locke will be joined by Chair of the National Economic Council Gene Sperling and White House Cybersecurity Coordinator Howard A. Schmidt to release the administration’s National Strategy for Trusted Identities in Cyberspace (NSTIC) – a White House initiative to improve online security, increase privacy and foster economic growth and innovation online. Hosted by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the event will include a panel discussion with industry leaders and privacy advocates, as well as demonstrations of innovative smart technologies being developed to improve online authentication. 

NSTIC is a key building block in the national effort to secure cyberspace. According to industry surveys, as many as 8 million Americans are victims of online fraud and identity theft each year and lose an average of $631 out-of-pocket per incident. Through a private sector-led effort facilitated by the government, NSTIC aims to make online transactions more trustworthy and enhance consumers’ privacy, thereby giving businesses and consumers more confidence to conduct business online.

To learn more about the National Strategy for Trusted Identities in Cyberspace, visit the NSTIC website at: http://www.nist.gov/nstic.


WHO: Gary Locke, U.S. Secretary of Commerce

• Gene B. Sperling, Assistant to the President for Economic Policy and
• Director of the National Economic Council
• Jane Holl Lute, Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security
• Howard A. Schmidt, White House Cybersecurity Coordinator
• Ann Beauchesne, Vice President National Security and Emergency Preparedness, U.S. Chamber of Commerce
• Barbara Mikulski, U.S. Senator, Maryland 
• Dan Lungren, U.S. Representative, California

Panelists:

• Leslie Harris, President and CEO, Center for Democracy and Technology 
• Susan Landau, Fellow, Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study, Harvard University 
• Eric Sachs, Senior Product Manager, Internet Identity, Google

WHAT:          

Release of the Administration’s National Strategy for Trusted Identities in Cyberspace 
         

WHEN:          
Friday, April 15^th, 11:30 a.m. – 1:15 p.m. EST

                       

WHERE:       


U.S. Chamber of Commerce

1615 H Street, NW
Washington, DC 20062

###

Maine takes up State Repeal of Real ID - WLBZ reports

SEE ALSO: MCLU, "Real ID repeal.. For real this time, No..Really."

San Francisco Entertainment Commission reigned in by Mayor, locals for surveillance rules

4-13-2011

BTC- SAN FRANCISCO- The San Francisco Entertainment Commission announced a decision by Mayor Ed Lee to postpone continuance of new proposed rules during last night's scheduled hearing.  The rules would require increased electronic surveillance and police presence for the city's venues, drawing substantive local outrage and national scrutiny from civil liberty groups.


The Entertainment Commission intended to support law enforcement after an increase of violence was attributed to local entertainment venues.  The Commission was created, in part, as the City's answer to appropriate local police policy towards clubs and venues.  The Entertainment Commission has since gained a reputation in the arts and entertainment community as an organization who serve's the interests of the police over San Francisco's entertainment culture.  California's police policies continue to test the boundaries of privacy, technology and civil liberty.

According to attendees, the Entertainment Commission is merely continuing a trend in what some have called, "A war on fun."  The San Francisco Bay Guardian maintains a series on the actions of the Entertainment Commission.  Local promoters present to give comment  at last night's meeting complained the new rules would decimate their ability to profit from one time events.   One promoter stated customers are simply going elsewhere to be entertained because they don't want to deal with the hassles currently present in the city.  Others gave account outside the meeting that in just a year's time the Commission has marginalized clubs and venue businesses, enforced pat down requirements and has caused many clubs to shutter their doors.

However, the new rules are considered so offensive to privacy and due process by the Electronic  Frontier Foundation they have precipitated threat of suit, if continued.  KTVU 2, San Francisco reports.

"Enterainment Commission considers new saftey rules," KPFA Pacifica Evening News, reports @ 35:14

The Pacifica Evening News, Weekdays - April 12, 2011 at 6:00pm

Click to listen (or download)

"Are Tech Companies Becoming Unofficial Intelligence Agents?"

FORBES c/o Amy Ferrer @BORDC