09/06, 7:45am
Security chief ups confidence for online plans
Sony has tapped a veteran of the US Department of Homeland security for the newly created position of chief information security officer. Former director of the U.S. National Cyber Security Center Philip Reitnger will become a senior vice president with the company and report to general counsel Nicole Seligman. The move comes in response to the attack on Sony's Playstation Network in April that caused a monthlong shutdown of the network and compromised the personal information of millions of PSN subscribers.
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08/05, 4:25pm
Nothing stopping plaintiff from going outside US
In January, ICE (US Immigration and Customs Enforcement), the investigative arm of the Department of Homeland Security, seized several sports streaming sites using US-based .org and .com domains. Puerto 80, the owner of one of these sites, Rojadirecta, filed suit in the US District Court of Southern NY, claiming the seizure constituted a violation of First Amendment rights. Yesterday, presiding judge Paul Crotty ruled that free speech had not been violated and refused to order the government to return the domains.
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12/23, 1:00pm
ATT and Verizon top US lobbying while Apple little
Incumbent carriers AT&T and Verizon spent the most money lobbying the US government in summer 2010 while Apple and some other technology firms spent relatively little, newly published disclosure reports have uncovered. The two both significantly increased their spending to $3.47 million and $3.83 million respectively, up from $3.18 million and $2.96 million a year ago. AT&T spent most of its time persuading the government on broadband expansion, calling cards and distracted driving rules, while Verizon's details were less focused and saw it spend on Congress, the Federal Trade Commission, the Internal Revenue Service and the White House itself.
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11/27, 3:50am
P2P web domains, among over 70 shut down
Immigration and Customs Enforcement, a division of the Department of Homeland Security has shut down a number of online music and movie file sharing websites according to a NYTimes report. Among the sites that ICE seized were torrent-finder.com, onsmash.com and rapgodfathers.com. At least 70 other websites that were supporting either counterfeit clothing, DVDs and other items were also taken down.
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09/07, 10:55pm
DHS accused of violating constitutional rights
A group of defense lawyers, university students and press photographers are set to file a lawsuit against the Department of Homeland Security over computer search policies at US borders. The suit, which will be filed by the ACLU, accuses the DHS of violating constitutional rights regarding privacy and free speech, according to a Washington Post report.
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06/03, 5:00pm
Draft bill to give feds control during crisis
A new draft bill put forth by Senators Joe Lieberman and Susan Collins would give the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) control over private networks' security in the event of a cyber threat. The rule would purportedly keep key services such as power, transportation and financial firms up and running during a cybersecurity emergency. The bill is the latest in a series of controversial bills that would give the federal government wide-spread control over private networks.
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