Author Archives: admin

INTERIM. 2 Problems for Business. Golden State Data Security Laws.

  • Liability. did the data security standards create a lawsuit free for all because of the security standard minimum?
  • Security Standards required for businesses.
    • the laws calls for reasonable standards
    • the Attorney General reported that Critical Security Controls created by the  Center for Internet Security should be the minimum

WallStreet Journal | Are California’s New Data Security Standards a Recipe for Liability?

INTERIM. Lege Trend: Data Security by Modernizing Government Computer Systems. 4 Key Informed Intel + Procurement.

Which legislative body is considering data security from the angle of improving existing computer infrastructure in government? Congress

What’s the cost associated with modernizing government computers? $ 3.1 Billion.

Bonjour procurement opportunities.

What’s the argument supporting infrastructure investment? “If we do not invest in our technology and cybersecurity now, we will have no one to blame for the next data breach but ourselves,” Rep. Ted Lieu (D-Calif.)

How will the…

Legal Trend: General Liability Insurance Cover Data Breach Liabilities. 3 Bits Informed Intel.

What have state courts been saying across the country about data breach insurance? General Liability policies don’t cover data breaches

What happened this week to alter this legal trend? The U.S. Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals in Virginia found that a ageneral liability policy covered a data breach

What does the insurance company say? The 4th Circuit Court of Appeals got it wrong. General liability policy that covered “electronic publication of material” with “unreasonable…

Lege Trend: Requiring Tech Companies to Decrypt. Read the Bill. Plan your Strategy.

What state legislature considered a bill to fine companies that do not decrypt after receiving a court order? California

What happened to this bill to fine companies? Died in committee without a vote

What did opponents to the bill say?

  • forced decryption weakens security and personal privacy
  • “Do we have a world where there’s no privacy whatsoever for the average citizen?
  • Assuming that this body is OK with every agency in the U.S. having access to everything, every application, every…

INTERIM. Millions in Costs for Data Breach in Dallas County

When did Dallas County have a data breach? In December 2015, it came to light that Dallas County had left personally identifiable information from 10s of 1000s accessible online for more than a decade.

How much does an average data breech cost to remediate? $80 per record. If it exposed 50,000 records that is a $4 million remediation minimum.

How does the remediation cost cover for Dallas County?

  • information technology experts to investigate, repair, and secure data (Procurement…

Tech & Privacy Interests Do Not Like Data Security Legislation. 3 Keys Informed Intel

  • Tech & Privacy Interests don’t like provisions forcing technical assistance to government investigations
  • Why the hestiancy over forced assistance? It will lead to greater data insecurity
  • Ties the hand of businesses that want to provide their customers greater security

The Hill | Encryption bill draft worries tech community

CNET | Encryption bill would force companies to surrender user data

West Coast State New Data Security Agency. Key Informed Intel. Read the Legislation. Find Procurement Opportunities for Texas.

  • The Bill creating the Washington State’s new Office of Privacy and Data Protection: Washington State House Bill 2875
  • What will be the purpose of the new Office of Privacy & Data Protection?
    • ​Determine what information state agencies are collecting
      • Do we know in Texas? No
    • Work with agencies to reduce the amount of consumer data being collected
    • Monitor & assist wit citizen complaints
    • Annual privacy review of state data collection
    • Educate Washington State residents about…

INTERIM. Cyber Security and Higher Ed. New Study. 3 Reasons its Bad for a Cyber Secure Future.

CloudPassage has a new report on cybersecurity and high education institutions. Here’s the big picutre:

  • None, Zero, Zilch, Nien of the Top 10 Computer Science programs in the country require security courses to graduate
  • Of the Top 26 computer science programs, only #12 Michigan requires cyber security
  • In 2015, there were 200,000 OPEN computer security positions in the U.S.

Why the lack of focus on cyber or data security among undergrads?

  • Its been pushed as a niche area for graduate…

All the State Budget Data Security Items. Procurement. Procurement. Procurement.

In Legislative Appropriation Request Trends:

  • 3rd party contracts to assess security at agencies
  • HB 2783 (2013) required a study to see if agency computer systems were legacy.
    • Hello, 3rd party contracts to replace or upgrade legacy systems
    • Legacy systems are a higher security risk
    • Over 1/2 agency computer systems are

In 2015’s State Budget:

  • Article IX, Section 9.10 : DIR prioritization of state agencies’ cybersecurity projects
  • Article IX, Section 9.11, Cybersecurity…