"Until CISA improves the quality of its information sharing, AIS participants remain restricted in their ability to safeguard their systems and the data they process from attack, loss, or compromise." The inspector general faulted CISA for failing to have adequate staff, resources and policies in place to complete its mission, even going as far as to suggest it was weaker in cybersecurity than some of its fellow Homeland agencies.
On Sept. 30, the Inspector General's office reported that of three major Homeland Security offices audited, CISA had the lowest scores by far for information security, a remarkable irony given the agency's cybersecurity mission.
Pdf Just five days earlier, the DHS inspector general reported CISA met only the "Basic requirements' of a 2015 law passed to improve America's cyber defenses. That report strongly faulted CISA for failing to produce and distribute the sort of actionable intelligence that its cybersecurity partners need to fend off threats and attacks."CISA has made limited progress improving the overall quality of information it shares with AIS participants to effectively reduce cyber threats and protect against attacks," the inspector general warned.
"CISA's lack of progress in improving the quality of information it shares can be attributed to a number of factors, such as limited numbers of AIS participants sharing cyber indicators with CISA, delays receiving cyber threat intelligence standards, and insufficient CISA office staff.
CISA "Has developed a set of plans and guidance aimed at securing election systems for the 2020 election cycle. But, the plans do not sufficiently mitigate other potential risks to physical security, terrorism threats, or targeted violence to the election infrastructure, nor do they identify dependencies on external stakeholders that impede mission performance," the Oct. 22 report warned.
"DHS senior leadership turnover and ongoing CISA reorganization have hindered CISA's ability to enhance planning and effectively monitor its progress in securing the Nation's election infrastructure," the report said.
The inspector general also blamed CISA's own performance, declaring the agency "Has not updated other critical plans or strategic documents concerning the election infrastructure" and failed to "Include in its plans the priority actions cited" in the Homeland Security Department's 2019 security framework.
It's becoming increasingly difficult to discern fact from fiction, and unfortunately the media has a strong bias. They spin stories to make conservatives look bad and will go to great lengths to avoid reporting on the good that comes from conservative policies. There are a few shining lights in the media landscape-brave conservative outlets that report the truth and offer a different perspective. We must support conservative outlets like this one and ensure that our voices are heard.
Tuesday, December 22, 2020
Cybersecurity agency where Trump fired boss was flagged repeatedly for poor performance
China Is Not Rising, It’s Faltering
To many, the notion that China is a faltering power is laughable.
Whether as a result of the "Middle-income trap," the imminent prospect of "Growing old before growing rich," the suffocating effects of the ever-more intrusive and pervasive surveillance state, or all three, China will soon peak.
While from an American perspective this might seem like good news, a faltering China might also be a dangerous China.
For one thing, a China that realizes that its reach has exceeded its grasp is likely to do everything in its power to lock in whatever geopolitical advantages it currently enjoys, before its ability to Sino-form the world begins to wane.
Such a strategy would necessarily entail preventing China from racking up wins in the arena of great power politics.
The final pillar of a prudent China strategy must be to anticipate and mitigate the turbulence that will accompany China's stalling rise.
As the Chinese master put it: "Surround them on three sides, leaving one side open, to show them a way to life. Show them a way to life so that they will not be in the mood to fight to the death." That is how to manage a China that is not a rising power but a faltering one.
https://thefederalist.com/2020/12/22/china-is-not-rising-its-faltering/
Joe Biden Greets Passage of 6,000-page Relief Bill with Call for More Spending
President-elect Joe Biden greeted the passage Monday night of a massive, 6,000-page coronavirus relief and spending bill with calls for more spending on the pandemic in the new year.
The bill provided $900 in coronavirus relief funding, including $300 for expanded federal unemployment benefits and $600 checks for households - half of the amounts provided by initial relief legislation earlier this year.
Biden's assessment, made repeatedly in recent weeks, echoes the view of many Democrats who see the bill as the beginning of a negotiation, not the end.
Democrats had held back from passing a coronavirus relief bill before the election, lest it help President Donald Trump.
Pelosi had used such tactics before, delaying the passage of a bipartisan relief bill in the spring, and stalling the expansion of the Payment Protection Program earlier in the year.
Biden and his party hope to pass even more spending next year, perhaps providing the funds to "Blue" states and local governments that Republicans had been unwilling to approve.
Biden has openly embraced the idea of restoring the practice of earmarks - allowing members of Congress to attach pet projects to bills - as a way of encouraging cooperation.
WISCONSIN JUDGE: 'Our Court System Has Been Deeply Intimidated by the Left'
A former Wisconsin state judge, who is now representing the Trump campaign in litigation in that state, testified before Congress that justice is not being served because of high-pressure intimidation tactics at the hands of the radical ideological Left.
James Troupis said he believes intimidation applied by the radical Left has prevented lawyers and judges from accepting and hearing election fraud cases.
"We have to acknowledge that the court system has been deeply intimidated by the left, just as the lawyers have been intimidated," Troupis told the Senate Homeland Security & Governmental Affairs Committee Wednesday.
"Three million people properly voted in the state of Wisconsin. More than 200,000 identified during this recount did not. But those votes got counted. Our statute says they should not have been. That in our view is a taint on our election in Wisconsin." - Attorney James Troupis pic.
In explaining why he decided to represent the Trump campaign in their challenge to the election results, Troupis said he believes many upscale law firms refused to participate over to a fear of retaliation by those on the Left.
"Because of the environment that has been created by the Left that has intimidated lawyers so that they can't be here, they're not here.
Troupis added, "As a former judge, I was so incensed by that.
https://nationalfile.com/wisconsin-judge-our-court-system-has-been-deeply-intimidated-by-the-left/
Feds are 'looking into making a legal request for Rudy Giuliani's emails'
Federal prosecutors are said to be looking into making a legal request for Rudy Giuliani's emails.
Giuliani has reportedly been under investigation by federal prosecutors in New York over his work in Ukraine, which became the heart of Trump's impeachment.
The impeachment revealed efforts by Giuliani and his associates to push out the former U.S. ambassador to Ukraine, Marie Yovanovitch.
Giuliani associates Lev Parnas and Igor Fruman were arrested last year and charged with federal campaign finance violations.
In October 2019 The Wall Street Journal reported SDNY prosecutors were looking into Giuliani's bank records as part of that investigation.
In February, The Washington Post said the authorities were speaking with witnesses and looking to gather more information on Giuliani.
U.S. intelligence alerted the White House last year that a Russian intelligence officer was seeking to feed disinformation to Giuliani in his efforts to uncover information in Ukraine.
US Army Scientists Analyzing New COVID-19 Strain
U.S. Army scientists are analyzing a new COVID-19 strain found in the United Kingdom and investigating if the current vaccines are sufficient to fight it.
Scientists at the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research last week began analyzing data to determine the extent of the new mutated variant's danger and to try and determine if the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines will fight off the strain.
Scientists began their research by doing a computer analysis of the new strain.
There have been no reports of the new strain in the United States as of yet.
Experts, citing that viruses are always mutating, say the new strain won't necessarily nullify the current vaccine.
During a press conference in England on Saturday when British Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced new holiday lockdowns, the UK's chief scientific adviser addressed the vaccines.
"Our working assumption at the moment from all of the scientists is that the vaccine response should be adequate for this virus," Dr. Patrick Vallance said.
https://www.newsmax.com/newsfront/covid-coronavirus-walterreed-vaccine/2020/12/21/id/1002618/
Firms start work on 'freedom passports'
Work is being carried out to develop coronavirus freedom 'passports' that will allow those who have tested negative to enter pubs, schools and workplaces.
Two firms have been awarded Government contracts for exploratory work on a new app that would allow people to prove they do not have Covid.
'There are no plans to introduce immunity passports.
Ministers have previously ruled out introducing passports for those who have had a vaccine.
The proposal for the 'negative Covid-19 test certification' system was revealed on the Government's contracts checker.
The contracts seen by the Mail refer only to Covid test passports.
A spokesman added: 'We have no plans to introduce immunity passports following this vaccination programme.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9077385/Firms-start-work-freedom-passports.html