Tag Archives: Department of Homeland Security

The Department of Homeland Security in partnership with FBI identified the malware potentially used by the North Korean government to hack into federal and industry targets. The agencies released the Malware Analysis Report on Wednesday providing information on the malware variant, called HOPLIGHT, which is linked to the Pyongyang-tied cyber attack HIDDEN COBRA. “DHS and FBI are distributing this MAR to enable network defense and reduce exposure to North Korean government malicious cyber activity,” the report states. 

Senators Mark Warner and Cory Gardner and Representatives Derek Kilmer and Michael McCaul unveiled a bicameral and bipartisan bill pushing local, state and tribal governments to boost cybersecurity and threat defenses. The State Cyber Resiliency Act allows the Department of Homeland Security to create a grant program to modify, apply and develop measures against cyber threats, the office of Sen. Mark Warner said Monday.

The Trump administration is expected to appoint David Pekoske, head of the Transportation Security Administration, as the acting deputy secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, CNN reported Wednesday. Two administration officials revealed that Pekoske will succeed Claire Grady, who has served as interim DHS deputy secretary the last two years. 

The Federal Emergency Management Agency has not fully implemented steps to modernize its grants management operations, according to a Government Accountability Office report released Tuesday.

Acting Secretary of Defense and Wash100 Award winner Patrick Shanahan has said the Department of Defense is working with the Department of Homeland Security to identify the former’s potential roles involving border security, Military Times reported Wednesday. Shanahan expects the DoD to "do more" based on the volume of migrants trying to cross the southern border and “how much the situation there has deteriorated.”

Kirstjen Nielsen announced on Sunday that she's stepping down from her post as secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, CBS News reported Sunday. President Trump announced that Kevin McAleenan, commissioner of the Customs and Border Protection, will serve as the interim DHS secretary.

The Government Accountability Office has published a report to highlight the Department of Homeland Security’s progress in addressing risks since establishment in 2002. DHS continues to modernize and coordinate its different functions to meet leadership commitment, action plan and monitoring requirements under GAO’s high-risk list, the accountability agency said Wednesday. These functions include acquisition, information technology, financial and human capital management.

Chip Fulghum, deputy undersecretary for management at the Department of Homeland Security, said during a hearing on Capitol Hill that new coding frameworks delayed the agency’s efforts to assign two-digit codes for classifying cybersecurity positions, FCW reported Wednesday.

The Department of Homeland Security’s Science and Technology Directorate teamed with Israeli police to develop an interactive 3D tool for visualizing crime scenes or car crashes, DHS said Tuesday. The 3D-Hawk platform, designed by Israeli firm B-Design3D, is comprised of high-definition video equipment, a smart phone and a laptop containing software that converts footage into 3D models.

The Department of Homeland Security is replicating a strategy used by the Department of Defense to help agencies improve cybersecurity and protect networks, CyberScoop reported Monday. Paul Beckman, chief information security officer at DHS, said the agency is exploring DoD’s Cybersecurity Service Provider model, which is guiding the Pentagon to identify internal security centers to support cybersecurity operations of agencies.