Obama Officials Press for Cybersecurity Bill in Classified Briefing

A look at the week of October 24 in public advocacy for the IT channel: This week, the Obama Administration rounded up representatives from government agencies and congressional committees to press for comprehensive cybersecurity legislation this year.  Cybersecurity spending in defense IT budgets is expected to accelerate, especially in the event of a cyberattack.  Small businesses are found to be the most vulnerable to cyberattacks.


Obama Officials Press for Cybersecurity Bill in Classified Briefing — Obama Administration officials held a classified briefing with senators to press for passage of comprehensive cybersecurity legislation this year, reports The Hill. Several senators acknowledged that they had participated in a classified briefing requested by the Obama Administration, which included representatives from the White House, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Department of Homeland Security, National Security Agency and Pentagon, as well as the bipartisan leadership of the committees with jurisdiction over cybersecurity.


Cybersecurity Could Be a Bright Spot in Otherwise Flat IT Budgets — Cybersecurity spending is expected to accelerate during the next five years at the Defense Department and civilian agencies, despite overall flat information technology budgets, according to Nextgov.com. The increasing severity of computer network breaches likely will influence funding levels, with Defense-related cyber spending starting at more than $8 billion in fiscal year 2012 and reaching more than $13 billion by fiscal year 2016 if the country suffers a cyberattack resembling what Defense Secretary Leon Panetta often refers to as the next Pearl Harbor.


Small Companies 'Low-Hanging Fruit' for Cyberattacks — Small businesses are nowhere near to being ready to defend themselves against cyberattacks even though nearly half of all targeted cyberattacks are aimed at companies with fewer than 500 employees, says Tech Daily Dose. Although two-thirds of U.S. small businesses surveyed said they have become more dependent on the Internet in just the last year, 85 percent consider their companies safe from hackers, viruses, malware or other network breaches.