From ComputerWorld
New cybersecurity bill for electric grid readied
Legislation follows report that said cyberspies gained access to U.S. electrical infrastructure
Jaikumar Vijayan
April 28, 2009 (Computerworld) Amid growing concern over the vulnerability of the U.S. electric grid to cyberattacks, two lawmakers are preparing to introduce new legislation aimed at bolstering the industry's responsiveness to such threats.
The Critical Electric Infrastructure Protection Act is scheduled to be introduced on Thursday by Sen. Joseph Lieberman (I-Conn.), chairman of the U.S. Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, and Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.), chairman of the U.S. House Committee on Homeland Security.
A brief statement issued by the house committee today described the proposed legislation as one that would primarily empower the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, an independent agency that regulates the interstate transmission of gas, oil and electricity, to issue "emergency rules or orders" if a cyberthreat is imminent.
The rules or orders may be issued if the Secretary of Homeland Security determines that a national security threat exists, the statement said. It did not, however, clarify what kind of rules and orders the proposed bill is specifically referring to.
In addition, the bill would require the commission to assess existing cybersecurity standards within the electric sector and establish new standards, as needed, for dealing with cyberthreats. It would also require the Department of Homeland Security to conduct an investigation to determine if the electric infrastructure has been compromised by outsiders.
The proposed legislation takes a "common sense" approach to tackling critical issues with electrical infrastructure security, Thompson is quoted as saying in the release. "Any failure of our electric grid, whether intentional or unintentional, would have a significant and potentially devastating impact on our nation," he said.
The legislation follows a report published earlier this month by The Wall Street Journal that described how cyberspies from China, Russia and elsewhere have gained access to the U.S. electrical grid and installed malware tools that could be used to shut down service.
The story, which quoted unnamed national security and intelligence sources, described the attackers as having deeply penetrated the power infrastructure and poised to cause major disruptions in the event of a crisis or war.
Over the past few years, several others also have warned about the vulnerability of the power infrastructure. In 2007, the Idaho National Laboratory prepared a demonstration for the Department of Homeland Security in which a software vulnerability in a Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) system was used to cripple a generator.
A video of the demonstration that showed the generator being reduced to a smoking, shuddering hunk of metal aired on CNN, and still remains one of the most potent symbols of just what can go wrong if the power infrastructure is attacked in a cyberwar.
Concerns have prompted calls for mandatory security controls for some time now. For instance, a broad cybersecurity bill introduced recently by Sens. Olympia Snowe (R-Maine) and Jay Rockefeller (D-W.Va.) calls, among other things, for regulations mandating baseline security standards in critical infrastructure industries such as the power sector.
The Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), which in December delivered a set of cybersecurity recommendations for President Obama, also called for similar regulations in the electric sector.
Sunday, May 3, 2009
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
DHS Announces Repeal after Texas Weighs In
Over 25 States in Legal Opposition of Real ID Act
AUSTIN - Texas legislators previously concerned about compliance deadlines may heave a sigh of relief as Department of Homeland Security announced it’s move to repeal the federal Real ID Act last week. Other legislators like, Rep. Carl Isett (TX-Lubbock), continue to join the national trend of states moving legislation to reject the federal mandate. Lack of federal funding, serious privacy and civil liberties concerns over Real ID’s regulations provoked 25 states to move legislation against the national ID program.
Representative Isett sponsors the Texas legislation opposing the comprehensive national ID program. Isett sponsored identical legislation last session.
Real ID, passed as a rider on a Tsunami relief bill in 2005, suffered from a big brother reputation, technical networking inadequacies and state’s sticker shock over the price to build a centralized federal identity database from state fusion centers.
According to a report released last month from the DHS Inspector General, fusion centers across the U.S. are inadequately networked, non-existent or vastly underfunded to comply with the federal mandate for identity storage and national identity sharing.
“DHS did not provide timely and specific guidance on how REAL ID-compliant driver’s licenses and identification cards must be marked, best practices for the physical security of facilities, or information on the systems that will be used for verifying applicant documentation. To achieve full compliance with REAL ID standards by 2011, states must connect with electronic verification systems to verify identification documents. Several of the systems needed do not yet exist. Specifically, 18 of 19 states, or 95%, reported that available grant funding was insufficient. Several states referred to the amount received as a “drop in the bucket.” - DHS Inspector Generals Report
During Texas 81st session legislators field concerns about Texans being refused passage into federal buildings and airports based on the program’s federal extension status. According to staffers, DHS has been unclear about the extension standards until now. Texas’ federal Real ID extension for compliance will expire December 31, 2009.
AUSTIN - Texas legislators previously concerned about compliance deadlines may heave a sigh of relief as Department of Homeland Security announced it’s move to repeal the federal Real ID Act last week. Other legislators like, Rep. Carl Isett (TX-Lubbock), continue to join the national trend of states moving legislation to reject the federal mandate. Lack of federal funding, serious privacy and civil liberties concerns over Real ID’s regulations provoked 25 states to move legislation against the national ID program.
Representative Isett sponsors the Texas legislation opposing the comprehensive national ID program. Isett sponsored identical legislation last session.
Real ID, passed as a rider on a Tsunami relief bill in 2005, suffered from a big brother reputation, technical networking inadequacies and state’s sticker shock over the price to build a centralized federal identity database from state fusion centers.
According to a report released last month from the DHS Inspector General, fusion centers across the U.S. are inadequately networked, non-existent or vastly underfunded to comply with the federal mandate for identity storage and national identity sharing.
“DHS did not provide timely and specific guidance on how REAL ID-compliant driver’s licenses and identification cards must be marked, best practices for the physical security of facilities, or information on the systems that will be used for verifying applicant documentation. To achieve full compliance with REAL ID standards by 2011, states must connect with electronic verification systems to verify identification documents. Several of the systems needed do not yet exist. Specifically, 18 of 19 states, or 95%, reported that available grant funding was insufficient. Several states referred to the amount received as a “drop in the bucket.” - DHS Inspector Generals Report
During Texas 81st session legislators field concerns about Texans being refused passage into federal buildings and airports based on the program’s federal extension status. According to staffers, DHS has been unclear about the extension standards until now. Texas’ federal Real ID extension for compliance will expire December 31, 2009.
Sensenbrenner is Still an Idiot
Let's see: DHS says no more Real ID; and then Rep. Sensenbrenner calls for Napolitano's resignation.
For plausible reason close to mental duress or estrangement from his false achievement in Real ID, Wisconsin cheeseball, Congressman James Sensenbrenner has demanded Janet Napolitano's resignation.
He's just an idiot.
It's not Napolitano that Sensenbrenner wants to fire. It's me. It's Katherine Albrecht. It's Mark Lerner. It's Donna Holt, Aaron Bollenger and JP of ALIPAC. It's the BORDC, the CCR, the ACLU and the AFL-CIO!! It's a ton of citizen bloggers and every person who wrote their congressional leaders in their legislature and begged not to be chipped and ripped off by biometrics manufacturers, only to have their identity scalped later. We are the people responsible for killing his evil plan.
Look, DHS is not a popular agency. Never has been. Chertoff was a tool. Napolitano can also be a tool, especially to those in the gun registry. DHS sucks. However, we don't have the authority to fire this agency when it's not going our way. Unless the US government decides to dismantle the agency and all the fascist agendas it stands for; it will be in Maryland being eschewed by the American people. The decison to rid our lives of DHS is above our paygrade.
BUT for once in our lives, DHS cuts us all a break, is reasonable and understanding over not wanting the Real ID and they move to repeal!! When over half the states in this nation pass legislation banning the federal Real ID mandate to visit their homestead, it's not getting anywhere.
For plausible reason close to mental duress or estrangement from his false achievement in Real ID, Wisconsin cheeseball, Congressman James Sensenbrenner has demanded Janet Napolitano's resignation.
He's just an idiot.
It's not Napolitano that Sensenbrenner wants to fire. It's me. It's Katherine Albrecht. It's Mark Lerner. It's Donna Holt, Aaron Bollenger and JP of ALIPAC. It's the BORDC, the CCR, the ACLU and the AFL-CIO!! It's a ton of citizen bloggers and every person who wrote their congressional leaders in their legislature and begged not to be chipped and ripped off by biometrics manufacturers, only to have their identity scalped later. We are the people responsible for killing his evil plan.
Look, DHS is not a popular agency. Never has been. Chertoff was a tool. Napolitano can also be a tool, especially to those in the gun registry. DHS sucks. However, we don't have the authority to fire this agency when it's not going our way. Unless the US government decides to dismantle the agency and all the fascist agendas it stands for; it will be in Maryland being eschewed by the American people. The decison to rid our lives of DHS is above our paygrade.
BUT for once in our lives, DHS cuts us all a break, is reasonable and understanding over not wanting the Real ID and they move to repeal!! When over half the states in this nation pass legislation banning the federal Real ID mandate to visit their homestead, it's not getting anywhere.
Saturday, April 25, 2009
Jersey Eats The Veri-Chip
And the contract goes to Jersey FEMA....
DELRAY BEACH, FL – April 20, 2009 -- VeriChip Corporation (NASDAQ:CHIP) (“VeriChip”), a provider of radio frequency identification (RFID) systems for healthcare and patient-related needs, announced today that it has sold the VeriTrace™ system for disaster relief and emergency management needs to Atlantic and Mercer counties in New Jersey.
TWIC Card Chaos in L.A. Ports
BTC Op/Ed Commentary[brief]:
Dear distinguished members of the Trilateral Commission,
Have your populist translators on Speed Dial for this official statement. We now defer to the language of Union-American, an indigenous dialect, words directed towards the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative and the Transport Worker Identity Credential.
TWIC Rule Trips Port Workers
Source: Daily Breeze
Publication date: 2009-04-15
The U.S. Coast Guard on Tuesday turned away more than 250 local port workers who did not have a new biometric security card.
The ID cards were required for entry to the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach for the first time, as the federal government tightens security at the nation's largest port complex.
Most of the 67,000 longshore workers and truck drivers who must carry the Transportation Worker Identification Credential - or TWIC - had already obtained it by the deadline. For them, the first day of the new program went relatively smoothly.
But for those who have yet to pick up the cards, or have not yet passed an exhaustive background check, it was a day of frustration.
"It's just chaos down there," said Dick Schroeder, owner of Bay Harbor Transport, who had several truck drivers denied entry to the port complex. "This is just ridiculous."
Most of those who were turned away were truck drivers. Anthony Turner, a Coast Guard spokesman, said 200 trucks were denied access to the ports Tuesday.
Another 67 workers - longshore workers and others must carry the TWIC card - also were turned away.
Chris Viramontes, secretary-treasurer of the International Longshore and Warehouse Union, the union hall after they were turned away.
But, overall, he said the implementation went smoothly, thanks to months and years of
preparation.
"For the most part it's gone good because we have good cooperation with the Coast Guard," Viramontes said.
The card is designed for anyone visiting "restricted" areas of marine terminals, commercial ships, boats and other harbor facilities. Restricted areas include engine rooms, control rooms, wharves, rail yards, piers, warehouses, terminal storage areas and many cargo-handling zones.
Most of those who are still waiting for completion of their background checks are immigrants, Viramontes said. In those cases, federal officials have to review birth records that are located in the workers' native countries. That has resulted in significant delays.
Gerhard Silvestri, 63, was born in Germany and came to this country when he was 2. He has been driving trucks in and out of the port for 25 years. He said he still has not received his TWIC card, and has not been given an explanation.
"I've been here since 1947. It's not like I fell off the banana boat," Silvestri said. "It's not fair. All they have to do is extend it another 30 days. It's all bureaucratic b.s."
Schroeder said that some drivers tried to get into the port complex with an e-mail showing they had passed their background check, but were turned away.
The Coast Guard had announced it would accept such e-mails until May 13. But in practice, it appeared that the process was more complicated, and approval was not automatically granted.
Some trucking companies had their drivers with TWIC cards come down to the port in their personal vehicles and take over for drivers without the credential who had been pulled out of the line.
As of Monday, 7,000 workers who had been approved for TWIC cards still had not picked them up from an activation center at the Queen Mary.
"With all those thousands of hours of outreach, it's like 'Cool Hand Luke,"' said Coast Guard Lt. Cmdr. Dennis Miller. "You try and you try and there's some people you just can't reach."
gene.maddaus@dailybreeze.com
Dear distinguished members of the Trilateral Commission,
Have your populist translators on Speed Dial for this official statement. We now defer to the language of Union-American, an indigenous dialect, words directed towards the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative and the Transport Worker Identity Credential.
F**k the WHTI/TWIC credential!! You want transport service??!! You're gonna get it without a *!$d%mn biometrified port network identity card. CAN YOU SPELL A-F-L-C-I-O??!!(Ahem.) We now defer to commerce parties affected by your reprehensible policy.
[Followed by flying styrofoam cup filled with scalding hot coffee aimed at nearest bureacrat enforcer.]
"It's just chaos down there," said Dick Schroeder, owner of Bay Harbor Transport, who had several truck drivers denied entry to the port complex. "This is just ridiculous."
TWIC Rule Trips Port Workers
Source: Daily Breeze
Publication date: 2009-04-15
The U.S. Coast Guard on Tuesday turned away more than 250 local port workers who did not have a new biometric security card.
The ID cards were required for entry to the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach for the first time, as the federal government tightens security at the nation's largest port complex.
Most of the 67,000 longshore workers and truck drivers who must carry the Transportation Worker Identification Credential - or TWIC - had already obtained it by the deadline. For them, the first day of the new program went relatively smoothly.
But for those who have yet to pick up the cards, or have not yet passed an exhaustive background check, it was a day of frustration.
"It's just chaos down there," said Dick Schroeder, owner of Bay Harbor Transport, who had several truck drivers denied entry to the port complex. "This is just ridiculous."
Most of those who were turned away were truck drivers. Anthony Turner, a Coast Guard spokesman, said 200 trucks were denied access to the ports Tuesday.
Another 67 workers - longshore workers and others must carry the TWIC card - also were turned away.
Chris Viramontes, secretary-treasurer of the International Longshore and Warehouse Union, the union hall after they were turned away.
But, overall, he said the implementation went smoothly, thanks to months and years of
preparation.
"For the most part it's gone good because we have good cooperation with the Coast Guard," Viramontes said.
The card is designed for anyone visiting "restricted" areas of marine terminals, commercial ships, boats and other harbor facilities. Restricted areas include engine rooms, control rooms, wharves, rail yards, piers, warehouses, terminal storage areas and many cargo-handling zones.
Most of those who are still waiting for completion of their background checks are immigrants, Viramontes said. In those cases, federal officials have to review birth records that are located in the workers' native countries. That has resulted in significant delays.
Gerhard Silvestri, 63, was born in Germany and came to this country when he was 2. He has been driving trucks in and out of the port for 25 years. He said he still has not received his TWIC card, and has not been given an explanation.
"I've been here since 1947. It's not like I fell off the banana boat," Silvestri said. "It's not fair. All they have to do is extend it another 30 days. It's all bureaucratic b.s."
Schroeder said that some drivers tried to get into the port complex with an e-mail showing they had passed their background check, but were turned away.
The Coast Guard had announced it would accept such e-mails until May 13. But in practice, it appeared that the process was more complicated, and approval was not automatically granted.
Some trucking companies had their drivers with TWIC cards come down to the port in their personal vehicles and take over for drivers without the credential who had been pulled out of the line.
As of Monday, 7,000 workers who had been approved for TWIC cards still had not picked them up from an activation center at the Queen Mary.
"With all those thousands of hours of outreach, it's like 'Cool Hand Luke,"' said Coast Guard Lt. Cmdr. Dennis Miller. "You try and you try and there's some people you just can't reach."
gene.maddaus@dailybreeze.com
Friday, April 24, 2009
BLOOD-Fu Theater
Jack Blood - my favorite interweb talk show host, delivers a verbal knock-whilst-smoking to Austin's Vampire Police Chief, Art Acevedo. Acevedo looks way too comfortable around these patriots in the beginning of this interview.
Jack wrecks it here.
HIIIII-YAHHW! WOOT- TAWWW! [4:15 - 7:08]
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g0TAhbSPVMw
BLOOD FU FEATURE FLICK :
Orwell Rolls in His Grave
[1:45 minutes]
Jack wrecks it here.
HIIIII-YAHHW! WOOT- TAWWW! [4:15 - 7:08]
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g0TAhbSPVMw
BLOOD FU FEATURE FLICK :
Orwell Rolls in His Grave
[1:45 minutes]
Leading a Path to a Prosecution
It's best during times of moral insanity to be politically ambidextrious, if you can. It's challenging, but you need to use both hands to get the hardest work done.
In light of recent events, the exposure of torture memos released and CIA exonerations; we spoke with David Swanson of AfterDowningStreet.org. He informed us of why NOW is the best time to impeach Bush and Cheney for their war crimes and how a prosecution would come about.
Hear the KOOP 91. 7 FM report here:
http://wakinguporwell.podOmatic.com/entry/2009-04-23T21_36_22-07_00
From the respective right, an outburst worth a re-run. We need to see that again... Keep your chin up.
In light of recent events, the exposure of torture memos released and CIA exonerations; we spoke with David Swanson of AfterDowningStreet.org. He informed us of why NOW is the best time to impeach Bush and Cheney for their war crimes and how a prosecution would come about.
Hear the KOOP 91. 7 FM report here:
http://wakinguporwell.podOmatic.com/entry/2009-04-23T21_36_22-07_00
From the respective right, an outburst worth a re-run. We need to see that again... Keep your chin up.
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