An article on MSNBC sourced from information on Reuters ( REUTERS WIKIPEDIA ), discusses recent network security problems that affect thousands of employees at the Pentagon, the military, many other government divisions and all throughout Lockheed Martin customer network.
The U.S. Government currently uses Lockheed Martin as their largest information technology provider; most especially in the military. The seriousness of an issue like this cannot be over communicated and emphasized; Lockheed is responsible for much of the military and government infrastructure that the USA relies on daily. A quick visit to the LockheedMartin.com website will reveal that they are responsible for many important national functions such as: “Air power, Air Traffic and Transportation Management, Energy and Climate, Homeland Security, Information Technology, Missiles and Missile Defense, Radar Systems, Space Exploration, Surveillance and Fire Control, Technology Research, Training and Simulation” ( Found on the capabilities menu on LockheedMartin.com Homepage).
A firm such as Lockheed performing these roles for a nation of our size and global power must remain secure and in control; especially because they build and sell such destructive violent tools that kill people like their JAGM Cooled Seeker Missle for Joint-Air-to-Ground combat.
PHOTO CREDITS & SOURCE ATTRIBUTED TO: http://images.cdn.fotopedia.com/flickr-4408186601-original.jpg
Actions taken so far ( publicly known at least ) involve such primitive methods as changing passwords for government representatives and official Pentagon employees. The MSNBC article further explains that, “Lockheed, which employs 126,000 people worldwide and had $45.8 billion in revenues last year, said it does not discuss specific threats or responses as a matter of principle, but regularly took actions to counter threats and ensure security” ( ORIGINAL MSNBC ARTICLE ).
The article also sites spokesman Jeffrey Adams who explained that, “We have policies and procedures in place to mitigate the cyber threats to our business, and we remain confident in the integrity of our robust, multilayered information systems security,”. Many organizations never release information about them being hacked or vulnerable let alone the specifics of the issue or their response tactics which is quite understandable as giving out too much data on the situation can undermine the goals to fix the problems arising from the given attack. However, many companies and businesses that deal with large numbers of customers have to comply with financial and government laws to inform users that have had information compromised in attacks which can give the public some relief that they will be notified about an attack should their account or information have potential be stolen or misused.
This is not the first attack against Lockheed, who has often been targeted by other foreign entities, governments, and individuals due to its important role and public platform. Officials point to a recent digital attack break in at
EMC where some of their RSA Technology known as SecurID ( SecurID Wikipedia Page ) may have been stolen or compromised. EMC/RSA representatives commented that organizations using SecurID may not be as secure now as before. The SecurID technology is used by many large private organizations as well as government employees to connect to their networks securely from outside the corporate firewall. Other representatives have also reassured the public that despite the break in, the attacker would need information from many sources other than RSA alone to succesfully attack a companies implementation of the product.
The Aftermath
Many government employees are now worried about these devices and have lost faith in the security level they once were accustomed to. To ease Lockheed customers and users of their systems, they are constantly monitoring their worldwide network from a monitoring center ready to shut down segments of the system and network that appear to be under attack to help extinguish further attacks on intellectual property or government access.
Lockheed must protect itself and reinvest into more security for its network and products.
PHOTO SOURCE CREDIT: http://www.flickr.com/photos/erikcharlton/3610046380/sizes/z/in/photostream/
Other Articles on The Disruption
http://www.cnbc.com/id/43186473?__source=otbrn|outbrainext|&par=otbrn&__source=otbrn|outbrainext20110527230552|&par=otbrn
Online Security Resources:
CERT.org | Listing of current world internet security vulnerabilities
SANS.org |
“SANS is the most trusted and by far the largest source for information security training in the world. We offer training through several delivery methods – live & virtual conferences, mentors, online, and onsite. Our computer security courses are developed by industry leaders in numerous fields including network security, forensics, audit, security leadership, and application security. Courses are taught by real-world practitioners who are the best at ensuring you not only learn the material, but that you can apply it immediately when you return to the office. In addition to top-notch training, we offer certification via the ANSI accredited GIAC security certification program as well as numerous free security resources including newsletters, whitepapers and webcasts.” (FROM SANS.ORG WEBSITE )
“InfraGard is an information sharing and analysis effort serving the interests and combining the knowledge base of a wide range of members. At its most basic level, InfraGard is a partnership between the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the private sector. InfraGard is an association of businesses, academic institutions, state and local law enforcement agencies, and other participants dedicated to sharing information and intelligence to prevent hostile acts against the United States. InfraGard Chapters are geographically linked with FBI Field Office territories.” ( FROM InfraGard.net )
DHS.gov | Department of Homeland Security
CyberCrime.gov | Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section of the United States Department of Justice ( Justice.Gov )
Lockheed Martin – The Military Beast Youtube Video
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The Following is a Special Message to our readers from Global Good Enterprises CEO Joshua Michael Bois:
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The world is becoming better connected every day, it is truly a fact of life as we continue further into the 21st century. This globalization effect may open up many opportunities for business, even entertainment and culture, but we also must become increasingly aware and careful of the many pitfalls that await us despite the obvious boons and benefits this expanded market brings us. I am calling on the world’s people to take more responsibility when it comes to Internet Security and taking action to do your own part to contribute to a safer world. As a U.S. citizen, I especially am reaching out to my fellow American citizens, to take more special care of your own personal computers security as well as the security of your phone, and other technology resources at your work.
Although this issue in particular stems from problems within the Lockheed Martin enterprise and our U.S. Government, it is a sign and indicator that our world’s networked computer systems are not the brick wall of security that people blissfully and ignorantly imagine, even with top government budgets.
Whether many of the world’s internet threats are from politically and religiously charged terrorists, highly organized technology crime groups, or young hackers in foreign countries just testing their skills, we must build out the best protection for ourselves and world that we can and we all must be proactive. Internet attacks and problems are going to continue to happen no matter what governments, businesses, or organizations such as NATO ( NATO’S OFFICIAL WIKIPEDIA ) who even in 2007 was sending security experts professionals overseas to countries like Estonia trying to harden the world’s technology resources ( Techspot.com Article ). Promoting safer internet practices to the world can educate people and assist in protecting people’s financial accounts ( such as online access to Paypal.com and other online banking portals) , personal data, business information, and more. There exist many free security downloads to protect consumers and businesses from data loss, financial / identity / property theft, downtime, and other similar issues that these online attacks have potential to create. Free spyware and adware protection software such as Spybot Search and Destroy and Adaware as well as free Firewall Software like Comodo can instantly save users from a multitude of digital attacks and vulnerabilities.
Furthermore, I am asking resourceful and influential individuals, organizations, and governments to join together and unite for the protection of the world. Great entities like InfraGard are connecting private sector enterprises, academia, and state and local law enforcement agencies with the Federal Bureau of Investigation ( F.B.I. ) to encourage information sharing and innovation in the digital security realm. The world is growing more interconnected and more data is being passed around through phones, computers, and even satellites and we must be on the forefront to protecting the stability, security, and growth of the internet revolution. With firms like Cisco beginning the process of connecting our energy production sources to the internet ( Cisco Energy Management PDF and Cisco EnergyWise: Power Management Without Borders ) we must become even more vigilant about protecting our technology and information resources. Please join me and the Global Good Group in protecting and changing the world because truly we can make a difference together, and the internet is the perfect platform to connect, inform, and direct the online and offline movement.
Best Regards,
Josh Bois and The Entire Global Good Network
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