Security News
The hack gave the attackers access to the computer networks of some 18,000 of SolarWinds's customers, including US government agencies such as the Homeland Security Department and State Department, American nuclear research labs, government contractors, IT companies and nongovernmental agencies around the world. The company outsourced much of its software engineering to cheaper programmers overseas, even though that typically increases the risk of security vulnerabilities.
Axiologic Solutions announced it has acquired Herndon-based intelligence services firm Knowledge Link, a provider of financial, technology and program management services in classified federal government environments. The addition of Knowledge Link will nearly double the size of Axiologic, strategically expand its capabilities, and allow it to bring a greater range of services and mission support to more customers across the federal national security spectrum.
The U.S. will ban the downloads of the Chinese apps TikTok and WeChat on Sunday, with a total ban on the use of the latter, citing national security and data privacy concerns. Some security experts have raised concerns that ByteDance Ltd., the Chinese company that owns TikTok, would maintain access to information on the 100 million TikTok users in the United States, creating a security risk.
United States president Donald Trump has issued two executive orders banning Chinese messaging service WeChat and made-in-China-but-only-operating-abroad social network TikTok, and labelling the two a "Threat". Which is five days after the September 15 deadline president Trump has given Microsoft to do a deal to buy some of TikTok.
United States president Donald Trump has issued two executive orders banning Chinese messaging service WeChat and made-in-China-but-only-operating-abroad social network TikTok, and labelling the two a "Threat". Which is five days after the September 15 deadline president Trump has given Microsoft to do a deal to buy some of TikTok.
Social media businesses are making moves to block Hong Kong authorities from accessing their user data, days after Beijing imposed a new national security law on the territory. Google and Twitter also said that they had paused all data and information requests from Hong Kong authorities when the national security law went into effect last week.
The U.S. Federal Communications Commission on Tuesday designated Chinese telecommunications companies Huawei and ZTE as national security threats. By declaring the Chinese companies national security threats, the FCC is banning U.S. organizations from acquiring equipment or services using money from the agency's Universal Service Fund.
MITRE's Center for Technology & National Security, created to enhance MITRE's engagement with senior government leadership, named five highly esteemed national security officials to its newly established advisory board. "CTNS builds on the experience and expertise of thousands of our nation's most respected scientific and engineering minds," said Bill LaPlante, senior vice president for the MITRE National Security Sector.
Guidepost Solutions, a global leader in compliance, investigations and security consulting, announced the establishment of its National Security practice and the promotion of former senior FBI national security official Stephanie Douglas to president of the division. "Under her leadership, our National Security team will provide expert guidance and support to clients in mission-critical areas of their businesses as they navigate the complexities of building a compliant organization."
Current and former officials say just because a FISA warrant produces charges other than national security ones doesn't mean the target is no longer considered a national security threat. Prosecutors produced a statement from Attorney General William Barr saying the FISA materials held classified information about counterterrorism investigations and that disclosing them would harm national security.