
We Knew Russia Attacked American Democracy Before Election Day 2016
Picks of the Week “Trump-FBI feud over classified memo erupts into open conflict” | Washington Post “Dutch agencies provide crucial intel about Russia’s interference in U.S.-elections” | deVolksrant “Senator Urges Fellow Republicans to Heed Warnings on Releasing Secret Memo” | The New York Times For weeks, one of the trending hashtags pushed by a network of known Russian bots has been #ReleaseTheMemo. The memo in question is a summary … Read More

The Equifax Breach is a Case Study in Why We Need a National Data Notification and Protection Law: Picks of the Week
“The Time is Now for Congress to Act of a National Data Breach Notification Law” | The Hill “Equifax Breach Prompts Scrutiny, but New Rules May Not Follow” | The New York Times “The single most depressing thing about the Equifax breach” | The Washington Post It took over six weeks for credit bureau Equifax – one of the three major credit reporting firms in the U.S. – to disclose the massive data breach that potentially … Read More

Game of ‘pwns’: Cybersecurity Lessons from the latest HBO Hack – Picks of the Week
Hackers Demand Millions in Ransom for stolen HBO Data | Associated Press Spoiler Alert: Hackers Are Gunning for Hollywood | Variety The HBO Hack Was Reportedly up to Seven Times Larger Than the Sony Hack | Vanity Fair It seems that no one can escape cyber threats or data breaches these days – everything from political parties to the King in the North – appear vulnerable to attack. The latest victim in a string of embarrassing … Read More

When Ransomware Becomes the Smoke Screen for Real Disruption: Picks of the Week
“Ransomware Remixed: The Song Remains the Same” | Lawfare “Hacks Raise Fear Over N.S.A.’s Hold on Cyberweapons” | The New York Times “Global Cyber Attack Likely Cover for Malware Installation in Ukraine” | Reuters In the past month, malicious actors have twice used cyberweapons stolen from the National Security Agency (NSA) against countries around the world in a series of escalating cyber attacks that have targeted hospitals, banks, transportation systems, and even nuclear … Read More

Easy Hack May Spark Next Middle Eastern Conflict: Picks of the Week
The Hack that Caused a Crisis in the Middle East Was Easy | Motherboard News Agency Hack Blamed for Diplomatic Meltdown in Qatar | CSO Online US Suspects Russian Hackers Planted Fake News Behind Qatar Crisis | CNN Will Qatar’s Diplomatic Exile Spark the Next Great War? | Foreign Policy A cybersecurity incident at the Qatar News Agency (QNA) may have been the cause behind the sudden diplomatic break between Qatar and multiple Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states, … Read More

‘WannaCry’ Ransomware Attack was a Wake-up Call: Picks of the Week
New WannaCry Cyber Attack Could Target Tens of Thousands of Home Computers | Newsweek Hacking Attack Has Security Experts Scrambling to Contain Fallout | The New York Times Services Interrupted as Hospitals Push Fixes to WannaCry Ransomware Exploit | Forbes Governments, companies, and security experts from around the world raced to contain the fallout from last week’s audacious global cyberattack amid fears that if they did not succeed, data … Read More

Will 2017 finally be the year of cybersecurity? Picks of the Week
From Awareness to Action: A Cybersecurity Agenda for the 45th President | CSIS Russian Hacking Illustrates Increasing Role of Cybersecurity in Geopolitical Warfare | The Hill In 2017, real action on cybersecurity will happen after loss of life | CSO Online Cybersecurity stories dominated the headlines in 2016, so it is unsurprising that new reports and many cybersecurity experts claim that 2017 will see continued nation-state cyber attacks, bigger and … Read More

A Republic, If You’ll Keep It: Picks of the Week
How Russia Pulled Off the Biggest Election Hack in U.S. History | Esquire Steve Bannon’s Vision for the Trump Coalition After Election Day | The New Yorker Donald Trump’s Contempt for Democracy | The New York Times Hackers Used New Weapons to Disrupt Major Websites Across U.S. | The New York Times The United States is currently the target of a Russian information operation—of this there is no doubt. From … Read More

Surviving a Cyber Attack: Preparedness and Resiliency in Action
Newport, R.I.—Over 50 senior leaders and a small group of selected students gathered at the Pell Center on December 8, 2015 to participate in a four-hour cybersecurity tabletop exercise. The event, specifically designed for corporate executives and general counsels, was part of the Rhode Island Corporate Cybersecurity Initiative, and focused on best practices for incident response and mitigation. The exercise was led by a panel of experts, including: Ellen Giblin, … Read More

Pell Center Releases “State of the States on Cybersecurity” Report
Eight States Lead the Rest in Cybersecurity Readiness New Pell Center study establishes benchmarks for state government in meeting the cyber threat Newport, R.I. — Eight U.S. states are leading the rest in cybersecurity readiness. In a new report from the Pell Center at Salve Regina University, Senior Fellow Francesca Spidalieri reviews the efforts of state governments in California, Maryland, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, Texas, Virginia, and Washington. These states provide … Read More