Pentagon Suffers More

The AP reported this Friday (6-22-07) morning that the Pentagon suffered a cyber-attack on Wednesday that required the shut-down of 1,500 computers. Few details, including what's meant by "computers," considering the range of possibilities, were provided.

Secretary of Defense Robert Gates is referenced as stating that the Pentagon sees hundreds of attacks a DAY. He went on to say this cyber-attack had no adverse impacts on department operations as employees could still use the Blackberries.

Meanwhile, on another "front," Bill Gertz in Inside the Ring, from Washington Times of the same date reports on new intelligence on China's cyber-warfare capabilities. There is a new assessment of China's ability to attack U.S. and allied defense computers. Already, Chinese-origin cyber-attacks are wide-spread and detected (emphasis added) regularly. Richard Lawless, deputy undersecretary of defense for Asia told the House Armed Services Committee (HASC) last week (June 13) about China's strides in cyber-warfare. "They see is as a major component of their asymmetric warfare capability," Lawless said as reported by Gertz.

One Rule to Ring Them All?

There may soon be a single point of contact in Pierce County for searching government records. A county public records "ombudsperson" was one topic discussed at an open-government forum last week that brought together county and state elected leaders.

Looking for public records can be a daunting task, said Pierce County Councilmember Shawn Bunney (District 1), but an ombudsperson would help individuals and businesses decide what they need and then help them find it. "Openness is a primary prerequisite of responsible and responsive government," said Bunney, who is drafting an ordinance to create an ombudsperson in Pierce County modeled on a similar position in the state Attorney General's Office. "Too often public-records requests are dumped on a clerk without allocating additional time or funding. I think the public deserves better."

When Washington state's open public records act was created by initiative in 1972, there were two exemptions to what could be disclosed; there are now more than 300 exemptions, said state Attorney General Rob McKenna, whose "Sunshine Committee" will be reviewing each one and making recommendations to the Legislature next year. "Most of these exemptions should be removed," McKenna said.

State Auditor Brian Sonntag said it's mindset that characterizes governments' approach to public records. If jurisdictions decide they'll work to make public records available, it's different than if they try to find ways to exempt records from disclosure. "In the end, remembering whose business we're doing is paramount," Sonntag said. "We can't forget who's writing the checks."

Sonntag and McKenna both lauded Bunney's proposal. It remains to be seen how his peers on the Pierce County Council will respond.

Happy Birthday, Angel Network!

This past week marked the first year anniversary meeting of the TacomaAngel Network. Since the group's soft start last spring with nine founding members, the organization now regularly has 31 accredited investors (and growing), more than 50 attendees at each session and a track record of millions of dollars invested in new companies.

Entrpreneurs looking for funds and potential investors alike are well-served by TAN's new website. The duo of Brian Forth, CEO of SiteCrafting, and Mark Neidlinger, Senior Developer (and a graduate of WSU), have recently upgraded this venue. Brian, who has been developing websites since 1995, founded SiteCrafting 10 years ago while Technology Coordinator at St. Charles Borromeo School in Tacoma. Mark joined in 2006.

SiteCrafting has garnered numerous awards including, a project developed for Knowledge Universe which was nominated for a Codie Award as the Best Online Product in 2000. And in 2007, SiteCrafting was selected as one of "The 10 Most Dependable™ Web Design Firms of the West" by Goldline Research, the results of which were announced in Southwest Airline’s Magazine in January.

Besides awards, SiteCrafting has many well known customers—including Starbucks, YMCA Tacoma-Pierce County, MultiCare Health System, the Archdiocese of Seattle, and Airstream Communications, the Prium Companies, Primo Grill, the Point Defiance Zoo, and Northwest Trek.

NATO Considers Defense Against Cyberattacks

Just in from Brussels, in USA Today, is that NATO is considering defense against cyberattacks.

Seems it all stems from the recent cyberattacks on Estonia, resulting from displeasure with that nation's relocation of a WW II-era Soviet soldier statue from a park to a cemetery. In addition to riots by the ethnic Russian population, NATO spokesman James Appathurai said the cyberattacks were "sustained" and "coordinated," launched from about 50 countries.

The cyberattacks targeted banking, e-mail and other functions, but not the military systems. Estonia considers itself among the most advanced for online services (voting, internet banking, etc.). All this seems consistent with asymmetrical warfare's focus on other targets than the military.

No final decision on anything beyond studying the issue. Like this is the first example of cyberattacks on either private, governmental or military e-systems.

Technology Help for Small Firms

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) is seeking to expand the number of small firms involved in its Technology Assistance Program this fiscal year. Through this program, PNNL funds researchers to provide about a staff-week of effort to address technological needs of small businesses (fewer than 500 employees).

Over the last 12 years, PNNL has conducted some 750 technology assistance projects through this program, with a measured satisfaction rating of 93%. About 85% of the assistance recipients state in surveys that they implemented the advice received in the projects.

This assistance is one of many programs resulting from the Technology Alliances' statewide Associates program. The Tacoma Technology Consortium is TA's Associate in Pierce County.

Cybersecurity Exercise Update at Chamber Meeting

A Military Affairs Committee meeting was held by the Tacoma-Pierce County Chamber entitled “An Update from Ft. Lewis”. Along with presentations from Col. Cynthia Murphy, Garrison Commander and Mark San Souci, Regional Liaison for Military Families, DoD-State Liaison Office, (who gave updates on the base and discussed Pay Day Lender laws respectively), I gave an update on the Cybersecurity Exercise that was conducted a little over a month ago.

Sponsored jointly by West Point, Fort Lewis and the University of Washington Tacoma, the day-long event brought in students from multiple locations where they were lead by Lt. Colonel Ron Dodge from USMA West Point through a series of cyber attack/defense exercises.

For more pictures and info see www.livingandworkingvirtually.com

Topia Announces "Operation TroopSkoot"

In a nutshell, and from their press release..

"Calling it “Operation TroopSkoot” (http://www.troopskoot.com/), Topia is donating thousands of the revolutionary data sharing technology, SKOOT, on USB drives to the Spring deployment from Fort Lewis. SKOOT enables soldiers, families and friends to create a Private Family Network® for securely communicating and sharing data while bypassing email and other banned Internet programs."

Janine Terrano and her Topia Technology folks have an ongoing working relationship with the US Army Intelligence Security Command and the Federal Aviation Administration, so it is great to see them putting some of their innovative technology to such a great and common cause.

Read on for more information...