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President Obama Unveils $19 Billion Plan To Overhaul U.S. Cybersecurity

erier2003 writes: President Obama on Tuesday unveiled an expansive plan to bolster government and private-sector cybersecurity by establishing a federal coordinator for cyber efforts, proposing a commission to study future work, and asking Congress for funds to overhaul dangerously obsolete computer systems. His newly signed executive orders contain initiatives to better prepare college students for cybersecurity careers, streamline federal computer networks, and certify Internet-connected devices as secure. The Cybersecurity National Action Plan also establishes a Federal Privacy Council (to review how the government stores Americans' personal information), creates the post of Chief Information Security Officer, and establishes a Commission on Enhancing National Cybersecurity.

7 of 185 comments (clear)

  1. Gridlock by jriding · · Score: 1, Insightful

    Republicans reject it before it even comes out and refuse to read it.

    Because "Obama"

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    1. Re:Gridlock by rsborg · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Republicans reject it before it even comes out and refuse to read it.

      Because "Obama"

      Which is why when Sanders is elected president in November, I can look forward to more entertaining gridlock, proposals that aren't "Republican-lite". Because if gridlock from a Democratic president is all we'll get, we might as well get propose some nice socialist ideas and get some nice leftward Overton window movement.

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  2. First.... by saloomy · · Score: 3, Insightful

    They rule encryption is a form of a weapon, with restrictions on export. Then they want to ban encryption. Pray-tell, how is the govt going to certify anything as secure without the most robust encryption technologies and practices currently available? Or does it mean, certified backdoored?

  3. Re:Let me be clear by alvinrod · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Also, if it turns out to be anything like the healthcare.gov project, I question how effective it would be in terms of improving security.

    This sounds like a classic government program designed to funnel public money into the hands of a few private contractors or corporations. Remind me why the Republicans are opposed to this again.

  4. Re:Cool by ArmoredDragon · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Seems more like pork to me. The problem with cybersecurity right now mainly comes from basically anybody and everybody running old shit that is vulnerable. A classic example is Android 2.3 devices that people still carry around. And of course, large companies that have obsolete OSes still running on the public internet.

    This whole IoT mess is only going to make it much worse. What's needed are rules establishing a minimum standard to raise the bar for longer term security updates. I.e. rules to the effect of requiring manufacturers to provide security updates for no less than 7 years after first product general availability to market. Also provide some kind of source escrow so that if the company folds the firmware can be released as completely open source, complete with signing keys where applicable.

    Also something needs to be done about the DDoS as a service situation. The primary target should be end users who harbor compromised systems connected to a broadband ISP. For example, if they're found to be participating in a DDoS attack, whether they are a willing participant or not, they are to have their internet connection throttled to 128kbit until they have cleaned their systems.

  5. Re: Cool by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Insightful

    He's a lame duck, and Trump is just gonna undo anything he signs into law, so what's the point? Might as well just brush up on his golf game. Fore!

    Trump? The entire Republican Party has been attempting to undo everything Obama ever did since the day he took office. I wouldn't be surprised if they declared him an unperson before they're done.

    I understand that the Replublicans and Democrats have different philosophies, but this wholesale eradication crusade that they've adopted is beyond reason.

  6. Good and evil by Okian+Warrior · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Republicans reject it before it even comes out and refuse to read it.

    Because "Obama"

    Oh, be fair now...

    Remember that Obamacare website? How high quality was that?

    How about Obamacare itself? Did cementing health insurance companies into federal law fix any problems?

    How about closing Gitmo? How did that work out?

    Hell, how about his stance on telecom immunity? How's that working out for us?

    Or making up new immigration law by executive order?

    Or ordering the assassination of a US citizen? (With no trial, and by authority of a secret law.)

    Really. If you want to blame gridlock on the merits of the situation, then do so.

    Otherwise, to the casual observer it would appear that "because Obama" is a perfectly valid reason to oppose something.

    Because, you know, "good and evil".