Cyber treasure hunt underway

Senate set to consider NSA chief as head of Cyber Command, USAF adds cyber training for recruits and officers

Cybersecurity Update – Tune in weekdays at 30 minutes past the hour for the latest cybersecurity news on The Federal Drive with Tom Temin and Jane Norris (6-10 a.m.) and The Daily Debrief with Chris Dorobek and Amy Morris (3-7 p.m.). Listen live at FederalNewsRadio.com or on the radio at 1500 and 820 AM in the Washington, D.C. metro area.

  • The U.S. Cyber Challenge competition is underway. The 2010 Security Treasure Hunt participants will be asked identify security flaws and vulnerabilities on a target system. Top performers will be eligible for an all-expense paid trip to a Cyber Challenge summer camp. The competition is free and open to people 18 years and older who live or attend school in California, New York and Delaware. School officials say they have been praised by the federal government for excellence in cybersecurity education because they produce graduates who are highly sought after by cybersecurity employers in the public and private sectors. The nationwide director of the U.S. Cyber Challenge is Karen Evans, former OMB administrator for e-government and IT.
  • The Senate today will consider a long-held up nomination to lead the Pentagon’s new Cyber Command. Army Lieutenant General Keith Alexander leads the National Security Agency, but his nomination for chief of the Cyber Command has been delayed since last year — mainly because of concerns the Pentagon would militarize cyber space. But Deputy Defense Secretary William Lynn, cited in NextGov, says the new command would have authority only over defense networks.
  • The U.S. Air Force will be teaching the basics in cyberwarfare to new recruits and add more advanced cybersecurity schooling to its curriculum. Four-Star Gen. Robert Kehler says the cyberwarfare part of basic training would cover only the fundamentals such as passwords and firewalls. The more advanced, undergraduate-level training program will begin in June to train officers and enlisted personnel who are looking for a cyber career in the Air Force. The first class will include about 16 officers. The Air Force says it needs to produce about 400 officers annually with skills in cyberwarfare. Graduates of the program will be assigned jobs across the Air Force, including the 24th Air Force, which is part of the Space Command responsible for cyberwarfare and Air Force computer networks.

Copyright © 2024 Federal News Network. All rights reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.