Weekly News Roundup November 9-13, 2020

Earlier this week, AP reported there had been false claims about prominent Democrats wielding their influence on the tech firm, Dominion Voting Systems. In response to misinformation claiming, “A bad actor could change election results without detection,” CISA director Chris Krebs issued a new Rumor Control Update explaining, “The systems and processes used by election officials to tabulate votes and certify official results are protected by various safeguards that help ensure the accuracy of election results. These safeguards include measures that help ensure tabulation systems function as intended, protect against malicious software, and enable the identification and correction of any irregularities.”

Despite news from Slate that “We have made it through Election Day (or Month) without signs of a significant cyberattack on our voting systems,” President Trump continues to file lawsuits alleging voter fraud.

While the results of the 2020 presidential election have filled the headlines for the past two weeks, more has happened across the cybersecurity industry. Let’s take a look at what went down this week.

Nov. 12: CISA issued a joint statement in coordination with Election Infrastructure Government Coordinating Council and the Election Infrastructure Sector Coordinating Council Executive Committees asserting, “The November 3rd election was the most secure in American history. Right now, across the country, election officials are reviewing and double checking the entire election process prior to finalizing the result.” 

Nov. 12: The expanding demands of fending off criminals has inspired Detroit to find new ways to fill the pipeline to strengthen its cybersecurity defenses.

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Nov. 12: According to Reuters, Bryan Ware, Assistant Director for Cybersecurity for the DHS and CISA, was asked to resign and handed in his resignation.

Nov. 12: PV Tech reported, “Cybersecurity can easily fly under the radar, just as a hacker weaves through systems and sifts through files undetected. The documented cases of cyberattacks on the energy system are hardly a page-spanning list, and the number of cases on solar assets even fewer.” 

Nov. 11: Help Net Security recommended some soft rules of the cybersecurity game, noting that it’s important to remember the game is ongoing and there’s no one-size-fits-all solution.

Nov. 11: Infosecurity magazine reported a drop in the skills gap according to the (ISC)²2020 Cybersecurity Workforce Study. The report found that “700,000 extra professionals, or 25% more than last year’s workforce estimate, have joined the industry—expanding its ranks to around 3.5 million.”

Nov. 10: Virginia Senator Mark Warner (D), who attended the launch of a consortium to test 5G networking, said that “A bill that would require certain internet-connected devices purchased by the government to include basic security features is closer to becoming law,” Nextgov reported.

Nov. 10: Ransomware gangs have been publishing stolen data in an effort to shame victims into paying the ransom, and Krebs on Security reported, “Now, one crime group has started using hacked Facebook accounts to run ads publicly pressuring their ransomware victims into paying up.”

Nov. 9: Idaho’s Boise State announced that, pending board approval, it will launch the Institute for Pervasive Cybersecurity with the goal of facilitating, “strategic partnerships between industry, higher education and government to improve cybersecurity for the state and the nation.”