Anonymous is attacking US Chamber of Commerce website

In protest of the "PROTECT IP" bill, hacker group Anonymous plans to attack the US Chamber of Commerce website Monday evening. Hacktivist group Anonymous plans to launch attack the US Chamber of Commerce website today at 8pm EST, according to a flier posted to 4chan.org and Reddit.com, which urges Internet users to join in the fight. The distributed denial of service (DDoS) campaign is an act of protest against a piece of supposed anti-piracy legislation proposed by Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-VT) known as the “Preventing Real Online Threats to Economic Creativity and Theft of Intellectual Property” bill, or “PROTECT IP.” Anonymous, known for its campaigns against both corporations and governments around the world who the group believes stifle the free flow of information, argues that, if passed, PROTECT IP “would allow the US Government to force [Internet service providers] and search engines to censor websites they do not like under the guise of ‘copyright protection.’” The online protest was first announced Sunday in a statement released by the group, which reads:

“As pioneers of this new world, it’s our duty to resist and fight those who attempt to stop us. Whether you’re a journalist or blogger, or a participant of Anonymous, or the activists on the ground who protest against these corporate thugs and oppressive regimes and risk everything for freedom of information and speech, we are all in this battle together and we have a responsibility to protect our civil liberties.

“This attack tomorrow will send yet another message to the pigs that run the state that we will not be another cog in the f****d up clock that these corporate entities attempt to preserve through their political puppets in Washington.

“This is our world now and we will fight for it. Take it or leave it.” 

The PROTECT IP bill, a reiteration of the failed COICA bill, would give the US Justice Department broad powers to shut down access to websites it deems “dedicated to infringing activities.” As Anonymous accurately describes, these powers include forcing ISPs to block access to targeted websites, and even requiring search engines, like Google and Bing, to completely remove the websites from their search indexes. Perhaps even more troubling, the bill would also give private citizens — i.e. copyright holders — the ability to request that the government block a websites’ ability to display advertising, or process payments. Anonymous says that, rather than reduce piracy, the bill simply “endangers the free flow of information,” through the use of “domain seizures, ISP blockades, search engine censorship, and the restriction of funding to accused websites,” says Anonymous. All of this, they say, “takes Internet censorship to the next level.” The hacker’s interpretation of the bill, a summary of which leaked online last week, is echoed by a variety of other privacy advocates, who say the legislation is woefully misguided, and will result in rampant government censorship. “Protecting copyright and trademark are of course important objectives,” writes author and technology expert Larry Downes in an analysis of the bill posted to CNet. “But doing so by trampling due process rights, tinkering dangerously with the mechanics of the Internet, and impressing into police duties an expanding set of Internet service providers, hardly seems the best solution.” Anonymous first came into the world spotlight after launching a series of similar attacks on the corporate websites of PayPal, Master Card and Visa, all of which stopped processing donation payments made to whistle blowing website WikiLeaks. Most recently, members of the group were accused by Sony of initiating (or, at least, facilitating) an attack on its PlayStation Network, which resulted in the theft of nearly 13 million user credit cards, and could cost the company upwards of $170 million in damages. Those who wish to join in the DDoS attack — which simply overloads a website’s servers with an overwhelming amount of traffic, causing it to go offline — can join other Anons in the #OperationPayback IRC channel, where countless supporters have gathered to coordinate the attack. 


Anonymous Message on IP ACT

To read a full summary of PROTECT IP  CLICK HERE

SHARE OUR NEWS DIRECTLY ON SOCIAL NETWORKS:-
<a href=">Anonymous is attacking US Chamber of Commerce website"https://www.voiceofgreyhat.com/2011/05/anonymous-is-attacking-us-chamber-of.html</a>

Homeland Security Approved Cyber security Bill "PRECISE" (H.R. 3674)

Homeland Security Approved Cyber security Bill "PRECISE" (H.R. 3674)

The House Homeland Security Committee approved H.R. 3674, the Promoting and Enhancing Cybersecurity and Information Sharing Effectiveness Act of 2011 (the PRECISE Act) by voice vote, after a lengthy mark-up session that saw the bill’s scope scaled back. This Cybersecurity bill was approved on April 18 aimed at securing federal information systems and helping private sector critical infrastructure owners/operators, but key committee members complained that its watered-down provisions weren’t adequate. The bill, originally introduced by Rep. Dan Lungren (R-CA) in February had aimed to create a national information sharing organization to oversee the cyber protection of critical infrastructure, but will now only authorize the National Cybersecurity and Communications Integration Center (NCCIC) at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
The committee’s ranking member, Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-MS), bitterly objected to the changes, saying they essentially gutted the bill. In a statement following the bill’s mark-up, he said it “bears little resemblance to the measure that the Cybersecurity Subcommittee approved in February.” He said key provisions that promoted information sharing between and among the private sector and government and privacy protections were removed behind closed doors by the committee’s leadership.

-Source (Govt. Security News)

SHARE OUR NEWS DIRECTLY ON SOCIAL NETWORKS:-
<a href=">Homeland Security Approved Cyber security Bill "PRECISE" (H.R. 3674)"https://www.voiceofgreyhat.com/2012/04/homeland-security-approved-cyber.html</a>

Controversial Cyber Security Bill CISPA Passed Again By The US House

Controversial Cyber Security Bill CISPA Passed Again By The US House

Couple of months ago we reported that the White House is planning for an executive cyber security order, from some official sources it has also come to know that the U.S. President Mr. Barack Obama has a special plan to re-introduce the Cyber Intelligence Sharing and Protection Act (CISPA). Today that deceleration get executed as the US House of Representatives has passed the controversial Cyber Information Sharing and Protection Act. This is the second time when CISPA have been passed by the White House, first it was rejected by the Senator while saying that the bill did not do enough to protect privacy. But yet again with the initiative of Obama and a substantial majority of politicians in the House backed the bill. Though there is a huge chance of getting rejected. According to some relevant sources it has been came to light that, this time also CISPA could fail again in the Senate after threats from President Obama to veto it over privacy concerns. Sources are saying that the main reason of re-introducing CISPA is the the President Barack Obama expressed concerns that it could pose a privacy risk. The White House wants amendments so more is done to ensure the minimum amount of data is handed over in investigations.  The law is passing through the US legislative system as American federal agencies warn that malicious hackers, motivated by money or acting on behalf of foreign governments, such as China, are one of the biggest threats facing the nation.  "If you want to take a shot across China's bow, this is the answer," said Mike Rogers, the Republican politician who co-wrote CISPA and chairs the House Intelligence Committee. 

On the other hand CISPA has also secured the backing of several technology firms, including the CTIA wireless industry group, as well as the TechNet computer industry lobby group, which has Google, Apple and Yahoo as members. By contrast, some other big names like Mozilla, Reddit has been vocal in its opposition to the bill. In the beginning the social networking giant Facebook supported CISPA but later they took back its support. The American Civil Liberties Union has also opposed CISPA, saying the bill was "fatally flawed". The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF), Reporters Without Borders and the American Library Association have all voiced similar worries.

-Source (BBC)

SHARE OUR NEWS DIRECTLY ON SOCIAL NETWORKS:-
<a href=">Controversial Cyber Security Bill CISPA Passed Again By The US House"https://www.voiceofgreyhat.com/2013/04/Controversial-Cyber-Security-Bill-CISPA-Passed-Again.html</a>

Syrian Cabinet Approved Combating Cybercrime Bills

Syrian Cabinet Approved Organizing Internet Communication & Combating Cybercrime Bills

Not only US, Japan but also Syria is not paying attention to cyber security. Recently Syrian Cabinet approves Bill for Internet Communication & Cybercrime. Prime Minister Adel Safar & Syrian Cabinet approved on Tuesday a bill on organizing internet communication and combating cybercrime. In an exclusive repost Dp-news said:- The bill aims at organizing internet communication and combating cybercrimes as well as specifying the responsibilities of internet providers.The bill stipulates for establishing a department at the Ministry of Interior tasked with investigating such crimes and setting specific conditions concerning the relationship between this bill and international law as cybercrimes are considered trans-border crimes. The cabinet also discussed the new environment bill which aims at establishing the basic rules for environment safety and protection and achieving environmental development.

SHARE OUR NEWS DIRECTLY ON SOCIAL NETWORKS:-
<a href=">Syrian Cabinet Approved Combating Cybercrime Bills"https://www.voiceofgreyhat.com/2012/01/syrian-cabinet-approved-combating.html</a>

Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Unveils Cybersecurity Bill

Members of the House Homeland Security Committee unveiled legislation Thursday that would authorize the cybersecurity functions of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and establish a quasi-governmental entity to coordinate cybersecurity information-sharing with the private sector. The bill, called the Promoting and Enhancing Cybersecurity and Information Sharing Effectiveness Act (PrECISE), would station a national clearinghouse for information relating to potential attacks on critical infrastructure, such as electric grid, water facilities, and financial service systems.

"The risk of cyberattack by enemies of the United States is real, is ongoing and is growing," warned Homeland Security Committee Chairman Peter King (R-N.Y., above left). "The PrECISE Act, in line with the framework set forth by the Speaker’s Cybersecurity Task Force led by Rep. [Mac] Thornberry [R-Texas], protects our critical infrastructure without a heavy-handed and burdensome regulatory approach that could cost American jobs."

Under Section 226 of the bill, the Secretary of Homeland Security "is authorized to maintain the capability to act as the focal point for cybersecurity through technical expertise and policy development." Further, the Secretary is ordered to "coordinate cybersecurity activities across the Federal Government, designate a lead cybersecurity official within the Department of Homeland Security, publish a cybersecurity strategy and provide appropriate reports to Congress."

In effect, the DHS would identify cybersecurity risks on a sector-by-sector basis and gather existing performance standards to procure the most efficient methods to mitigate identified exposures. The Secretary will review and collect standards and publish cyber-defense information for owners and operators of "covered critical infrastructure," which is defined as the "infrastructure that if destroyed or disabled would result in a significant number of deaths, cause mass evacuations, major disruptions of the economy, or significant disruption to national security."

"Cybersecurity is truly a team sport, and this bill gives DHS needed authorities to play its part in the federal government’s cybersecurity mission and enables the private sector to play its part by giving them the information and access to technical support they need to protect critical infrastructure," said Rep. Dan Lungren (R-Calif.), Chairman of the House Cybersecurity Subcommittee.

In addition to Reps. King and Lungren, the bill’s original co-sponsors include Rep. Michael McCaul (R-Texas), Rep. Gus Bilirakis (R-Fla.), Rep. Candice Miller (R-Mich.), Rep. Tim Walberg (R-Mich.), Rep. Billy Long (R-Mo.), Rep. Tom Marino (R-Pa.) and Rep. Bob Turner (R-N.Y.) of the Homeland Security Committee, as well as Rep. Steve Stivers (R-Ohio) and Rep. Jim Langevin (D-R.I.).

One key tenet of the legislation is the creation of the National Information Sharing Organization (NISO), a quasi-governmental entity that would be staged as a clearinghouse for exchanging relevant information regarding cyber threats and vulnerabilities. The organization would be a nonprofit entity consisting of a DHS-appointed board of directors, composed of members from five different federal agencies and 13 members of the private sector.

According to Section 242 of the bill, the NISO Would Have Three Primary Missions:-

First, facilitating the exchange of cyber threat information, best practices and technical assistance amongst its membership including the Government. Second, it would facilitate the creation of a common operating picture built from information contributed by technically sophisticated members such as the Government, Internet Service Providers, and other members with access to large amounts of network related information. Third, the NISO would act as a catalyst for cooperative research and development of member driven research projects. Additionally, the NISO would incorporate into its membership agreements for the transferability of intellectual property and integrate with the National Cybersecurity and Communications Integration Center at DHS.

All in all, NISO’s purpose would be to establish a point of connection between the government and the private sector to pool information about potential cybersecurity threats and to collaborate on methods to prevent such threats from occurring.

While cybersecurity laws have brought a rare agreement between Republicans and Democrats, the two parties have quibbled over certain aspects of the legislation. Generally, House Republicans prefer more limited regulation and discretional incentives to ramp up securities, while Senate Democrats and the White House have suggested more stringent regulations monitored by the DHS.

SHARE OUR NEWS DIRECTLY ON SOCIAL NETWORKS:-
<a href=">Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Unveils Cybersecurity Bill"https://www.voiceofgreyhat.com/2011/12/department-of-homeland-security-dhs.html</a>

Mozilla Stand Against CISPA, Saying The Bill Will Infringes on Our Privacy

Mozilla Stand Against CISPA, Saying The Bill Will Infringes on Our Privacy

 

When almost 99% of leading IT Industry, software giant like Microsoft, Facebook, AT&T, Intel, Verizon has been either silent or quietly supportive of the controversial bill HR 3523 Act dubbed the Cyber Intelligence Sharing and Protection Act (CISPA). But here we get one exception late Tuesday, Mozilla’s Privacy and Public Policy lead sent me the following statement:-
"While we wholeheartedly support a more secure Internet, CISPA has a broad and alarming reach that goes far beyond Internet security. The bill infringes on our privacy, includes vague definitions of cybersecurity, and grants immunities to companies and government that are too broad around information misuse. We hope the Senate takes the time to fully and openly consider these issues with stakeholder input before moving forward with this legislation."

CISPA’s official supporters include Facebook, Microsoft, IBM, Intel, Oracle and Symantec among others–carriers including AT&T and Verizon have signed on, too. Despite reports that Microsoft had backed off its support for the bill citing privacy, a Microsoft spokesperson Monday told reporters that the company’s supportive position on CISPA remains “unchanged.”

SHARE OUR NEWS DIRECTLY ON SOCIAL NETWORKS:-
<a href=">Mozilla Stand Against CISPA, Saying The Bill Will Infringes on Our Privacy"https://www.voiceofgreyhat.com/2012/05/mozilla-stand-against-cispa-saying-bill.html</a>

Salt Lake City Police Department Hacked By Anonymous (#OpPiggyBank)

Salt Lake City Police Dept. Hacked By Anonymous (#OpPiggyBank)

Hacktivist Anonymous take responsibility for hacking into Salt Lake City Police official website. Two hackers from Anonymous named CabinCr3w & ItsKahuna was behind this hack. The hackers hacked into the database of the Salt Lake City PD and exposed confidential information such as Full name of the Employ, Address, Phone Number, email-id, password hash and so on. All the exposed information can be found on a pastebin release. After this security breach the site was kept down for maintenance as shown in the picture below.

According to a news release from police, the hacker group says the attack is a response to an anti-graffiti paraphernalia bill being sponsored by state Sen. Karen Mayne, D-West Valley City. Currently, the bill in its amended state, prohibits any person to possess any instrument, tool or device with the intent of vandalizing an area with graffiti. Offenders would be guilty of a class C misdemeanor. Depending on the extent of the vandalism, the crime could be boosted to a felony. 

Press Release Of Anonymous:- 

"=================================================                                #OpPiggyBank
                           @CabinCr3w & @ItsKahuna
 =================================================                             
Dear Salt Lake City Police Department,

We took note http://fur.ly/0/MaynePlot that Senator Karen Mayne has put forth a bill SB107 - http://fur.ly/0/MaynePlotBill that tries to resolve an inconvenience with a flamethrower. Regardless whether the messages spray painted are disturbing, this bill sets an attitude that will down the line lead to invasions of privacy in people's homes and raids at 6 am over spray paint. We know that law enforcement functions as a mindless machine led by InfraGard, PERF, and other domestic civil intelligence (so marches the security state) networks. We know there's money to be made in the "just doing my job" compartmentalized economy. Therefore we know that regardless of the intent of Karen Mayne's haphazard lawmaking, this will end in corporations selling miniature drones to police offers chasing 13 year olds. We will act now as we have seen other "well-meaning" legislation open the door to tyranny and financing of oppression. There is no denying where this will end in 3 to 5 years or perhaps sooner.

Has your Senator Karen Mayne watched Minority Report too many times? A law prohibiting ownership and use of purchased products based on suspected intent? Is she kidding? The purpose of the law is not to prevent crime, but to manage it. The public gets the benefit of the doubt. A little too zealous wethinks. Perhaps a little pre-emptive action will drive the point home. As the foot soldiers for this bill, you get a taste of Mayne's witch hunt mentality. There are plenty of means to prosecute defacement of both private and public property in a general way. There's also the fact that some of this behavior may fall under civil rather criminal context.

A felony has a serious effect on a person's liberties after serving sentences, including loss of second amendment rights. And is this really the way to handle it? Perhaps Karen Mayne should be looking into why your neighborhoods are drawing this kind of behavior? Not acknowledging grievances and social issues such as poverty can lead to communities forming their own identities separate from their leaders. If all the senator has to offer is a policy that will lead to a self-righteous escalation of enforcement, consider this our deterrent.

We are Anonymous
We are Legion
We do not forgive
We do not forget
Expect us..."

SHARE OUR NEWS DIRECTLY ON SOCIAL NETWORKS:-
<a href=">Salt Lake City Police Department Hacked By Anonymous (#OpPiggyBank)"https://www.voiceofgreyhat.com/2012/02/salt-lake-city-police-department-hacked.html</a>

Cyber Security Bill Has Been Rejected By The US Senate

Cyber Security Bill Has Been Rejected By The US Senate

A cybersecurity bill that had been one of the Obama administration’s top national security priorities was blocked by a Republican filibuster in the Senate on Thursday. Still the topic of cyber security remains controversial in the US Congress. The Senate voted 52 to 46 to cut off debate, falling short of the 60 needed to force a final vote on the measure, which had bipartisan support but ran into a fight over what amendments to the legislation could be proposed.

Soon after the vote, the White House released a statement calling the outcome “a profound disappointment.” White House regretted that the act failed to gain approval, saying that it could have protected the US from "potentially catastrophic cyber attacks". According to the White House, the proposed legislation fell victim to "the politics of obstructionism, driven by special interest groups seeking to avoid accountability". US civil rights campaigners Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF), on the other hand, are celebrating a "victory over cyber spying". 

However, many further amendments were proposed by senators over the week. Ultimately, many voted in line with their concerns. For instance, in a statement after the vote, Democrat Ron Wyden said that in his opinion the Cybersecurity Act in its current form does not sufficiently safeguard Internet users’ privacy and civil liberties. According to Wyden, the act would not create enough incentive to actually promote the exchange of information. Republican senators mainly explained their rejection by pointing out that, despite the amendments, companies would be made to comply with too many bureaucratic reporting requirements.

The bill called for the government to provide businesses with classified information about cyberthreats and gave companies the option of sharing information about cyberthreats with the government. White House officials said the president opposed that bill because it called for too much information sharing between the government and businesses, which could have led to violations of Americans civil liberties.

-Source (The-H & NYTimes)

SHARE OUR NEWS DIRECTLY ON SOCIAL NETWORKS:-
<a href=">Cyber Security Bill Has Been Rejected By The US Senate"https://www.voiceofgreyhat.com/2012/08/Cybersecurity-Bill-Rejected-By-US-Senate.html</a>

Cyber-Crime Prevention Act (Bill No. 2796) Approved By The Senate

Cyber-Crime Prevention Act (Bill No. 2796) Approved By The Senate

The Senate has approved on third and final reading the Cyber-crime Prevention Act of 2012 or Senate Bill No. 2796, which seeks to establish a legal framework for the investigation, apprehension, and prosecution of cyber-criminals. Sen. Edgardo Angara, author of the measure, lauded the Senate for acting quickly on the measure which seeks to establish a legal framework for the investigation, apprehension, and prosecution of cyber-criminals.
“Their approval sends out a clear message that the Philippines is taking decisive steps not only in safeguarding its digital space, but also in ensuring its transition into a full-fledged knowledge-based economy,” Angara said. The measure calls for an initial appropriation of P50 million for its implementation. The bill also seeks to protect children from pornography. Under the measure, the Office of the President (OP) and two other government agencies are also required to create an anti-cybercrime office that would deal with matters on web crimes. These agencies include the Department of Justice (DoJ), and the Department of Science and Technology (DoST)’s Information and Communications Technology Office (DoST-ICTO). Other than that, Angara said the measure aims to ensure that the public has access to adequate Internet security in the face of a rapidly changing technology. He said Internet usage has become more prominent, especially in social networking. 

“A large chunk of human activity nowadays is no longer merely physical — it occurs in the Internet. Crime and harm is thus no longer merely physical — they can occur online as well. There is a need for us to innovate security measures and enact laws that will help protect us in the digital world,” Angara said.

 

-Source (Mb.com/Philippines)  

SHARE OUR NEWS DIRECTLY ON SOCIAL NETWORKS:-
<a href=">Cyber-Crime Prevention Act (Bill No. 2796) Approved By The Senate"https://www.voiceofgreyhat.com/2012/01/cyber-crime-prevention-act-bill-no-2796.html</a>

White House sends Congress a long-awaited cybersecurity proposal

The White House on Thursday sent Congress a formal proposal for cybersecurity legislation to help Senate lawmakers craft a passable bill from 50-some measures currently pending in both chambers.
The long-awaited framework would formally grant the Homeland Security Department oversight of cybersecurity operations within civilian federal agencies -- a role it has played in practice since last summer. Given the dearth of cyber experts in civilian agencies, the proposal would give DHS the same flexibility the Pentagon currently has to rapidly hire skilled professionals at competitive salary levels, Obama administration officials told reporters during a Thursday conference call.
The guidelines, which were expected to be released later on Thursday, largely rely on industry's know-how and willing compliance to certify their systems are safe and ask for federal assistance when attacked.
The proposal is silent on several sticking points, including cyberwarfare, classified information and the criteria for so-called critical infrastructure -- or systems that, if disrupted, could wreak havoc on national security. Such networks would be subject to greater regulation under a key Senate bill sponsored by the leaders of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee. The White House framework also stays clear of a dispute over whether the president should have the power to hit a "kill switch," shutting down the Internet during emergencies.
The guidelines were prompted by a request from Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., and chairmen of the committees with jurisdiction over computer security for input from President Obama on the various congressional proposals, White House officials said. The HSGAC and commerce panels passed comprehensive cybersecurity legislation about a year ago, while numerous other congressional panels and individual members have introduced their own piecemeal measures. The executive branch took about a year to reach consensus on which provisions agencies would support and what new ones they would propose.
The proposal would make so-called intrusion prevention systems a permanent fixture in the federal government, according to a fact sheet. As opposed to intrusion detection systems, which flag attacks and alert the appropriate responders, prevention software can actively respond by blocking intrusions. The guidelines say DHS should have the authority to supervise all such programs, including the existing "Einstein" tool. Internet service providers also would have to use the applications for any government traffic they manage.
The White House plan touches on one security element of a growth area in government IT: cloud computing. The practice allows organizations to access computer power, storage and software stored on the Internet by a third-party provider, rather than build on-site server farms. Administration officials are concerned that state protectionist measures are hampering the cloud industry, so the proposal would block state governments from requiring that companies in their states build data centers there, unless authorized by federal law, the fact sheet stated.
The guidelines would enable industry to obtain immediate assistance from Homeland Security in responding to an intrusion, if they wish, officials said. Currently, when organizations ask DHS to review logs to determine when a hacker attacked, the department's ability to intervene is slowed by legal uncertainty. To protect individuals, if a firm or local government wants to share such information with DHS, the organization must first strip out identifying information that is irrelevant to the infraction, according to the fact sheet.
Companies and local governments would be granted immunity for sharing information with the federal government about new computer viruses and cyber events that have compromised their systems. Should entities choose to provide such information, their customers' privacy would not be violated, according to the proposal.
White House officials said their proposal focuses on transparency and incentives to ensure companies managing networks for critical infrastructure in industries like energy and banking are accountable for service continuity. The draft bill directs Homeland Security and the private sector to jointly figure out which operations are the most critical and prioritize the most important threats to those services. An outside commercial auditor would assess the company's plans for mitigating such vulnerabilities.
On the consumer side, the proposal would require that businesses notify customers of certain data breaches to reduce the risk of identity theft. Sony recently took heat for not immediately telling customers that perpetrators had infiltrated the company's online gaming and music networks. The administration's plan would loop together a patchwork of 47 state laws on data breach reporting.
Many in the legislative branch and business community applauded the White House plan on Wednesday.
"The Senate and the White House are on the same track to make sure our cyber networks are protected against an attack that could throw the nation into chaos," HSGAC Chairman Joe Lieberman, I-Conn., ranking Republican Susan Collins, R-Maine, and Federal Financial Management Subcommittee Chairman Tom Carper, D-Del., said in a joint statement. The Senate and the administration "both recognize that the government and the private sector must work together to secure our nation's most critical infrastructure, for example, our energy, water, financial, telecommunications and transportation systems. We both call for risk-based assessments of the systems and assets that run that infrastructure."
The trio agreed with the administration that Homeland Security should take the lead in safeguarding civilian cybersecurity. Other lawmakers, particularly in the House, say the Defense Department, with its established expertise and deep pockets, should play a larger role in guarding U.S. networks. Currently, the Pentagon can monitor only the .mil domain and many civil liberties advocates would like to keep it that way.
Commerce Committee leaders also largely praised the proposed measure. "The White House has presented a strong plan to better protect our nation from the growing cyber threat," Chairman John D. "Jay" Rockefeller, D-W.Va., said in a statement. "I look forward to continuing to work with the White House, and my colleagues in the House and Senate, to pass a comprehensive cybersecurity bill this year."
Ranking member Sen. Olympia Snowe, R-Maine, said, "While the administration's delay in providing critical input to the legislative process is regrettable, it is my understanding that the administration proposal parallels many of the objectives, particularly pertaining to modernizing the public-private partnership, that Sen. Rockefeller and I have advocated."
Officials with trade group TechAmerica generally supported Obama's framework but said they had lingering questions about the flexibility the proposal grants firms to tailor their security strategies.
"The administration's proposal is a clear step forward in the process and we hope that it strikes the right balance between accountability and innovation in this shared responsibility between the public and private sectors," TechAmerica President Phil Bond said in a statement.
"We encourage Congress and the administration to draw a bright line between critical and noncritical infrastructure," Bond said. "Industry and government need to work together to make the right determinations for what is critical, and what the implications are for that designation."
Should the government require firms to take certain actions, the law must provide liability protections to shelter companies from any unanticipated consequences, he said.
Given that the Senate has been pursuing cybersecurity legislation in a bipartisan fashion, and both parties in the House last year actually passed elements of the White House proposal, the expectation is that a law could be enacted this year.
Disagreements over engagement in cyberwar or the job of the Pentagon's National Security Agency and the new U.S. Cyber Command likely will be worked out in separate legislation. Pending House defense and intelligence authorization bills, for instance, address cyberwarfare and require the development of systems for detecting unauthorized activities on classified networks.
But talks on the civilian-oriented bill may take months, especially since all sides appear to want industry involved in the vetting process. One item overlooked in the White House proposal that Congress wants -- the creation of a Senate-confirmed cyber czar -- may take some time to negotiate. And Congress has never considered some of the information-sharing measures the White House introduced on Thursday.

SHARE OUR NEWS DIRECTLY ON SOCIAL NETWORKS:-
<a href=">White House sends Congress a long-awaited cybersecurity proposal"https://www.voiceofgreyhat.com/2011/05/white-house-sends-congress-long-awaited.html</a>

Cyber crime class acts

Cyber crime in its many and varied forms has become a standard tool for fraudsters around the world.
Countless people have fallen victim to hi-tech scams, sometimes unaware they are a victim.
Now police are investigating a ‘first’ for this area after a Wentworth Falls family has been stung by a new kind of fraud after students at a Lithgow secondary school accessed their daughter’s phone and transferred credit to the students’ friends.
The mother of the girl, who wished not to be named, said the family had purchased an iPhone for their daughter with an unlimited credit limit.
Their daughter subsequently was loaning her iPhone to her friends so they could text and use the phone to ring other friends.
“We got the bill for the phone and it was a few hundred dollars more than we expected.
“When we looked at it we found that this schoolgirl and her other friends had been downloading our credit and passing it on to their friends,” the mother said.
The students used a new system called Credit Me To You (crme2u) which allows people to transfer their phone credit from one mobile to another on the same carrier.
While the students were using the phone when they were sending the credit, people are also able to take credit using a bluetooth device if they know the information they need.
The Credit Me To You service was established to assist people out of credit and needing access to their phone service in an emergency.
With the friends’ phone numbers on their bill the family were able to contact the parents of the student hackers.
They were shocked when only one parent agreed to pay them back the money their child had stolen.
“The other parents said it was our problem with Telstra and they weren’t worrying about it.
“They said we should just take it up with Telstra,” she said.
“But it comes up on our bill as extra services with these kids’ phone numbers next to the service.”
The mother said the students had also been posting messages via their Facebook account advising all and sundry they too could ‘score free credit’ if others wanted it.
“It is a new type of scamming and the police were very interested when we contacted them,” the mother said.
The family contacted Katoomba Police after the parents refused to pay them back and inquiries could lead to charges being laid.
The incident provides a timely reminder of the many warnings which have been issued about the security of personal phones and not lending them freely to other people. 

SHARE OUR NEWS DIRECTLY ON SOCIAL NETWORKS:-
<a href=">Cyber crime class acts"https://www.voiceofgreyhat.com/2011/05/cyber-crime-class-acts.html</a>

Bill Gates Sold 5 Million of his Microsoft Shares

Bill Gates has sold another 5 million of his Microsoft shares, according to a regulatory filing.

Microsoft's multi-billionaire founder has been selling shares in recent months. He is the company's non-executive chairman, having stepped back from running the software firm in 2008 to concentrate on his charity work.

According to the filing, Gates sold 5m shares in Microsoft at an average $27.59 each on July 27. He has sold more than 90m Microsoft shares in the past 12 months.

Gates still has more than 500m shares in the company, but has decreased his shareholding over the last two years to fund his charitable endeavours and to diversify his portfolio.

This week the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation said it was making $42m available for eight universities to develop a toilet that does not need a sewer connection, water or electricity to operate. The ain is to improve people's health in parts of the world where there are few if any flushable toilets.

He is also backing research into improving education. "Every student needs a meaningful credential beyond high school," Gates said in a speech last week. "Higher education is crucial for jobs," he said, calling education an equaliser in society and the answer to getting urban America back to work and fighting poverty.

Forbes magazine estimates Gates's fortune at $56bn. Once the world's richest man, he is now second to Mexican telecoms mogul Carlos Slim after giving away a large chunk of his fortune to his charity.

Gates and long-time friend Warren Buffett have pledged to give away the majority of their fortunes to charity before their deaths, and have convinced a host of other billionaires, including Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg, to follow suit.

-News Source (Guardian)

SHARE OUR NEWS DIRECTLY ON SOCIAL NETWORKS:-
<a href=">Bill Gates Sold 5 Million of his Microsoft Shares"https://www.voiceofgreyhat.com/2011/07/bill-gates-sold-5-million-of-his.html</a>

President Obama & Congress Will Issue Long Awaited Executive Cyber Security Order

President Obama & Congress Will Issue Long Awaited Executive Cyber Security Order 

Last week we reported that Pentagon has declared that they are moving toward a major expansion of its cyber security force to counter increasing attacks on the nation’s computer networks, as well as to expand offensive computer operations on foreign adversaries. Just one week after this declaration another crucial movement came from the U.S. government.  A secret legal review on the use of America’s growing arsenal of cyber weapons has concluded that President Obama has the broad power to order a pre-emptive strike if the United States detects credible evidence of a major digital attack looming from abroad. According to sources President Barack Obama will issue a long-awaited cyber security executive order this week. Two former White House officials told the publication that the order is expected to be released after Tuesday night's State of the Union address. 

Given his status as commander-in-chief, Obama seems to be the clear choice, but since cyber warfare is such a new and unknown thing, the government hasn't actually figured out the rules of engagement yet. In the past couple of decades, the power to use America's cyber weapons has been shared between the Pentagon and the various intelligence agencies. With the exception of a series of strikes on the computer systems that run Iran's nuclear enrichment facilities an attack that Obama ordered himself the U.S. hasn't launched any major cyber attacks in recent memory, however. This probably won't be the case in the future. So the government is working on new rules of engagement, as it realizes that the capabilities of cyber weapons are evolving at a startling rate. The rules will be not unlike the set that governs how drone attacks are ordered and who orders them. Cyber warfare certainly stands to affect the average American more, though.  On Capitol Hill this week, Rep. Dutch Ruppersberger (D-Md.) and Rep. Mike Rodgers (R-Mich.) are set to reintroduce the Cyber Intelligence Sharing and Protection Act (CISPA) during a speech at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

According to an exclusive report the bill would allow the government to share classified cyber threats with the private sector so that those companies can then protect their systems from cyber attacks. The bill was killed last year due to privacy concerns. Civil-liberty groups argued that the bill allows companies to exchange too much personal information back and forth without regulation. 

-Source (Bloomberg, NY Times & Atlantic Wire)

SHARE OUR NEWS DIRECTLY ON SOCIAL NETWORKS:-
<a href=">President Obama & Congress Will Issue Long Awaited Executive Cyber Security Order"https://www.voiceofgreyhat.com/2013/02/Obama-Congress-Will-Issue-Executive-Cyber-Security-Order.html</a>

Search Guru Bill Stasior CEO of Amazon’s A9 Unit, Hired By Apple To Oversee Siri

Search Guru Bill Stasior CEO of Amazon’s A9 Unit, Hired By Apple To Oversee Siri

To be the very best, you need to deliver your hundred percent even some times more than hundred percent, and this race continues. As a result Apple has hired 'search guru' Bill Stasior, CEO of Amazon.com’s A9 search and advertising search unit, to oversee Apple's Siri voice-activated personal assistant. Stasior, who joined Amazon in 2003 as director of search and navigation, founded A9.com in May 2004 and then became CEO of the wholly owned subsidiary in February 2006, according to his LinkedIn profile. Stasior, who holds undergraduate and graduate degrees from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, describes A9.com as a “company with a mission to create groundbreaking technologies in search, advertising, and mobile that power customer centric, Internet businesses.” Apple confirmed his hire but didn't provide any comment. Stasior has an impressive pedigree (you can read his resume and see a really geeky binary image he posted of himself here). The MIT PhD has taught there, too, and has done stints at Oracle, Netcentives and AltaVista. 

 Siri, Apple's famous voice-activated personal assistant program, was acquired in April 2010 to launch a big stake in voice-activated search. Since Apple kicked Google Maps to the curb in iOS 6, the only remaining tie with Google is search. Will Apple eventually do its own search network? Who knows. Stasior’s background in search will certainly be of value if the time ever comes. While Siri has had a high profile in the iPhone range, Apple has lost some of the talent who created it. Adam Cheyer, who co-founded the voice recognition software, recently left the company. CEO Dag Kittlaus departed in October 2011. 

Here we want to remind you that last month Twitter hired famous whitehat hacker Charlie Miller, to boost up its security. Here its Apple who hired Stasior presumably, strengthening Apple’s search and search advertising technology in the wake of its increasing competition with Google. While talking about the news of hiring geniuses then the name of Nicholas Allegra, the world-famous hacker known as "Comex", creater of JailbreakMe.com comes. He was also hired by Apple in 2011. 

-Source (AllThingsD) 

SHARE OUR NEWS DIRECTLY ON SOCIAL NETWORKS:-
<a href=">Search Guru Bill Stasior CEO of Amazon’s A9 Unit, Hired By Apple To Oversee Siri"https://www.voiceofgreyhat.com/2012/10/Search-Guru-Bill-Stasior-Hired-By-Apple.html</a>

Worse Than SOPA- CISPA Will Allow Monitoring Any Online Communication (#Censorship)

Worse Than SOPA- CISPA Will Allow Monitoring Any Online Communication #Censorship

In the wake of SOPA and PIPA, there is yet another terrifying bill on the table. The Cyber Intelligence Sharing and Protection Act (or CISPA for short) which is currently being discussed by Congress. The title of this controversial act is H.R. 3523 and it has been dubbed the Cyber Intelligence Sharing and Protection Act. It is feared that CISPA is far worse than SOPA and PIPA in its possible effects on the Internet.
While this paper has been created under the guise of being a necessary weapon in the U.S. war against cyberattacks, the wording of the paper is vague and broad. It is thought that the act could allow Congress to circumvent existing exemptions to online privacy laws and would allow the monitoring and censorship of any user and also stop online communications which they deem disruptive to the government or to private parties. CISPA is described as a “cybersecurity” bill. It proposes to amend the National Security Act of 1947 to allow for greater sharing of “cyber threat intelligence” between the U.S. government and the private sector, or between private companies. The bill defines “cyber threat intelligence” as any information pertaining to vulnerabilities of, or threats to, networks or systems owned and operated by the U.S. government, or U.S. companies; or efforts to “degrade, disrupt, or destroy” such systems or networks; or the theft or “misappropriation” of any private or government information, including intellectual property. CISPA has also been condemned by the Electronic Frontier Foundation, an online advocacy group. The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) adds that CISPA’s definition of “cybersecurity” is so broad that “it leaves the door open to censor any speech that a company believes would ‘degrade the network.’” Moreover, the inclusion of “intellectual property” means that companies and the government would have “new powers to monitor and censor communications for copyright infringement.” According to both CDT and EFF, this means some of the largest corporations in the country, including online service providers like Google, Twitter, Facebook or AT&T could, if pressured, copy confidential information from a user and send this information to the Pentagon, as long as the government believes there is a reason to suspect wrongdoing.
Critics warn that CISPA gives private companies the ability to collect and share information about their customers or users with immunity — meaning we cannot sue them for doing so, and they cannot be charged with any crimes.

SHARE OUR NEWS DIRECTLY ON SOCIAL NETWORKS:-
<a href=">Worse Than SOPA- CISPA Will Allow Monitoring Any Online Communication (#Censorship)"https://www.voiceofgreyhat.com/2012/04/worse-than-sopa-cispa-will-allow.html</a>

Anonymous Gave Warning To Sony (#OpBlackout, #OpLulzxmas, #OpMayhem)

Earlier we have told that Anonymous has reacted against the controversial Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) reconvenes by the US Senate. This bold protest of Anonymous continues. Recently the have posted a YouTube video declaring that they will hack Sony again. If Sony doesn't stop their support of the Stop Online Piracy Act. They have specifically said they are not hacking the PlayStation Network. "We're hacking the SONY network and exploiting its servers. NOT PLAYSTATION NETWORK" 

Video Release Of Anonymous:- 

According To The Video:-

"Your support to the act is a signed death warrant to SONY Company and Associates," Anonymous said in the video. "Therefore, yet again, we have decided to destroy your network. We will dismantle your phantom from the internet. Prepare to be extinguished. Justice will be swift, and it will be for the people, whether some like it or not. Sony, you have been warned."

A Message From Anonymous To Sony:- 

Brief About SOPA:-
The Stop Online Piracy Act is a bill that was introduced in the United States House of Representatives on October 26, 2011. The bill will increase the power of the U.S. Department of Justice and copyright holders.  The bill "would expand the ability of federal law enforcement to shut down foreign Web sites and services that that use counterfeited or pirated content created by U.S. firms."

SHARE OUR NEWS DIRECTLY ON SOCIAL NETWORKS:-
<a href=">Anonymous Gave Warning To Sony (#OpBlackout, #OpLulzxmas, #OpMayhem)"https://www.voiceofgreyhat.com/2012/01/anonymous-gave-warning-to-sony.html</a>

Wikipedia Will Go Dark (Blackout) While Protesting Against SOPA/PIPA

Not only Anonymous, The White House but also The Wikipedia Community has decided to blackout (Go Dark) the English version of Wikipedia for 24 hours, in protest against proposed legislation in the United States the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) in the U.S. House of Representatives, and PROTECTIP (PIPA) in the U.S. Senate. Wiki said that if the bill get passed, "this legislation will harm the free and open Internet and bring about new tools for censorship of international websites inside the United States." 

In A Public Statement Wikipedia Said:- 

"Over the course of the past 72 hours, over 1800 Wikipedians have joined together to discuss proposed actions that the community might wish to take against SOPA and PIPA. This is by far the largest level of participation in a community discussion ever seen on Wikipedia, which illustrates the level of concern that Wikipedians feel about this proposed legislation. The overwhelming majority of participants support community action to encourage greater public action in response to these two bills. Of the proposals considered by Wikipedians, those that would result in a "blackout" of the English Wikipedia, in concert with similar blackouts on other websites opposed to SOPA and PIPA, received the strongest support.

“Today Wikipedians from around the world have spoken about their opposition to this destructive legislation," said Jimmy Wales, founder of Wikipedia. "This is an extraordinary action for our community to take - and while we regret having to prevent the world from having access to Wikipedia for even a second, we simply cannot ignore the fact that SOPA and PIPA endanger free speech both in the United States and abroad, and set a frightening precedent of Internet censorship for the world."

We urge Wikipedia readers to make your voices heard. If you live in the United States, find your elected representative in Washington (https://www.eff.org/sopacall). If you live outside the United States, contact your State Department, Ministry of Foreign Affairs or similar branch of government. Tell them you oppose SOPA and PIPA, and want the internet to remain open and free."

The announcement follows a tweet by Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales in which he said "Wikipedia protesting bad law on Wednesday!" The proposed legislation in question is the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA), also known as House Bill 3261 or H.R. 3261, and the PROTECT IP Act (Preventing Real Online Threats to Economic Creativity and Theft of Intellectual Property Act of 2011), aka Senate Bill 968 or S. 968. This legislation is intended to prevent online piracy, but those opposing the proposals believe that the legislation will be used to censor the internet and endanger free speech. In an open letter, Wikimedia Foundation Executive Director Sue Gardner said that, if passed, the proposed laws "would seriously damage the free and open Internet, including Wikipedia". 

-Source (The-H)

SHARE OUR NEWS DIRECTLY ON SOCIAL NETWORKS:-
<a href=">Wikipedia Will Go Dark (Blackout) While Protesting Against SOPA/PIPA"https://www.voiceofgreyhat.com/2012/01/wikipedia-will-go-dark-blackout-while.html</a>