(Norwich Bulletin, 9/21/18) STORRS — UConn has cut the ribbon on a building designed to foster partnerships between the school’s researchers and industry. The Innovation Partnership Building was funded with about $85 million from industry. It brings together academic experts and companies in fields such as flexible electronics, materials science,…
Connecticut Cyber Chief and other officials say utilities thwarted attacks
CT officials: Utilities thwarted millions of hacking attempts (Hartford Business Journal, 9/18/18) Connecticut cybersecurity officials said Tuesday that utility companies have faced more frequent and sophisticated attempts to penetrate their networks over the past year, but suffered no breaches. In a second annual review of utility cyberdefenses — a confidential…
Hacking the Factory Floor: Cybersecurity in Smart Manufacturing
(Heattreat, 9/12/18) When you think of hacking, you might think of viruses or ransomware attacks where computers are unable to operate unless a bitcoin is paid to an anonymous cybercriminal. In the manufacturing sector, the reality isn’t quite so public. First, the practical physical realities of the industrial landscape are…
NIST Awards $4 Million For 2018 Small Businesses Innovation Research Program
(Public.now, 8/21/18) GAITHERSBURG, Md.-The U.S. Department of Commerce’s National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has awarded $4 million in grants to 21 small businesses to support innovative technology development. Awardees in 15 states will receive Phase I or Phase II funding through NIST’s Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program. The…
MEP at 30 — Looking Back at the Four Eras of Manufacturing
(NIST, 8/23/18) Today (August 23, 2018) represents a milestone in the Hollings Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) program at the National Institute of Standards and Technology. Thirty years ago, on this date in 1988, President Ronald Reagan signed the Omnibus Trade and Competitiveness Act (Public Law 100-418). Section 5121 established the…
Manufacturing: A Rising Target for Cybercriminals
(Security Boulevard, 8/20/18) Every morning, I start my day by reading email about the latest cybersecurity news. These emails almost always involve data breaches or malware targeting a retail outlet, a restaurant, a healthcare company or a financial institution. What do these cyberattacks have in common? They involve organizations that…
Cyber hygiene: Where do organizations fall behind on basics?
(HelpNet Security, 8/9/18) Tripwire released its State of Cyber Hygiene report, which examined how organisations are implementing security controls that the Center for Internet Security (CIS) refers to as cyber hygiene. The survey found that almost two-thirds of the organisations admit they do not use hardening benchmarks, like CIS or Defense…
Intensifying DDoS attacks: Choosing your defensive strategy
(HelpNet Security, 8/6/18) As Arbor Networks CTO Darren Anstee recently pointed out, DDoS attacks have become a much more significant business risk to a much broader range of organizations in the past few years. That’s partly due to their increase in size, complexity and frequency, but also due to the increased…
CCAT featured as model for Aussie success
(Defence Connect, 8/28/18) The Connecticut Center for Advanced Technology (CCAT) is a leading non-profit organisation providing integrated workforce development, research, development and commercialisation support and opportunities, creating and implementing bold ideas for applied technologies, energy solutions, STEM education, career development, and export and cyber compliance, with a key focus on supporting…
Cyberattack risk for manufacturers outpaces other sectors
(Trade Only Today, 8/15/18) Manufacturing companies have started experiencing elevated rates of cyber reconnaissance from attackers taking advantage of the growing connectivity within the industry. A 2018 spotlight report on manufacturing developed by Vectra shows that though some sectors like retail are more likely to experience reportable breaches involving personal…