InfraGard Members Alliance Houston

“Securing America's Future: The Cybersecurity Act of 2012”

Testimony of DHS Secretary Janet Napolitano before the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs for a hearing entitled “Securing America's Future: The Cybersecurity Act of 2012”

With respect to critical infrastructure, DHS and the sector specific agencies work with the private sector to help secure the key systems upon which Americans rely, such as the financial sector, the power grid, water systems, and transportation networks. We do this by sharing actionable cyber threat information with our private sector partners, helping companies to identify vulnerabilities before a cyber incident occurs, and providing forensic and remediation assistance to help response and recovery after we learn of a cyber incident.

http://www.dhs.gov/ynews/testimony/20120216-3a-s1-cyber-hsgac.shtm

Submitted by: E. Charles Sterling

U.S. Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs (HSGAC) will be holding a hearing entitled “Securing America’s Future: The Cybersecurity Act of 2012.”

On Thursday, February 16, 2012, the U.S. Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs (HSGAC) will be holding a hearing entitled “Securing America’s Future:  The Cybersecurity Act of 2012.”  Over the past year, several other committees proposed related legislation which caused Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid to direct all committees of jurisdiction to come together and produce a single bill.  That bill will be introduced this week.  The HSGAC hearing begins at 2:30 p.m. (EST) on Thursday, February 16, 2012.  An audio/video of the hearing can be accessed on the HSGAC’s Web site at:  http://www.hsgac.senate.gov/hearings/securing-americas-future-the-cybersecurity-act-of-2012 

The upcoming HSGAC hearing comes on the heels of recent testimony concerning the world-wide threats, including cyber-related threats, facing the United States.  On January 31, 2012, the U.S. Senate Select Committee on Intelligence held an open hearing concerning “Current and Projected National Security Threats to the United States.”  The Director of National Intelligence, James R. Clapper, testified at the hearing and provided an unclassified statement on the Intelligence Community’s assessment of threats to U.S. national security, which can be accessed on the Committee’s Web site at:

http://intelligence.senate.gov/hearings.cfm?hearingid=f14e6e2889a80b6b53be6d4e412f6eac&witnessId=f14e6e2889a80b6b53be6d4e412f6eac-0-1  

Director Clapper’s testimony is worth the read.  He focuses on, among many other topics, terrorism, the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction (focusing on Iran and North Korea), cyber threats (focusing on increasing computer network operations), and threats to the energy and water sectors.  An archived video/audio of the hearing can be accessed on the U.S. Senate’s Web site at the following address:  http://www.senate.gov/fplayers/jw57/commMP4Player.cfm?fn=intel013112&st=xxx   

Source: Connecticut InfraGard Chapter

FBI Cyber Survey 2011 (anonymous)

In conjunction with the Houston Division of the FBI we are conducting a survey of Cyber Activity.  The survey is intended to gather general information about what is being observed in cyberspace.  The survey is specifically designed to provide the highest level of anonymity.  It should be printed, and completed with no company or personal identifiers.  You may mail it in an envelope (without a return address) to the InfraGard Coordinator: FBI, Attn: SA Noel Due, 1 Justice Park Drive, Houston, Texas 77092; or place it in the drop box at a future meeting.

Link to survey: http://www.infragardhouston.org/pdfs/Cyber%20Survey%20Questions%202010.pdf

The results of the survey will be posted publicly after compilation.