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National Cyber Director (NCD) Harry Coker is promising a strong effort by the Federal government to shore up internet router security particularly in the area of Border Gateway Protocol (BGP) rules that determine the best network route for data transmission on the internet in light of attacks over the past 15 years that have leveraged weak BGP security.

Coker made that commitment at a May 23 meeting of the National Security Telecommunications Advisory Committee (NSTAC). The committee is housed within the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) and is made up of private sector experts who advise the White House on telecommunications issues that affect national security and emergency preparedness.

During his remarks, Coker said the security effort centers around increasing the Federal governments adoption of Resource Public Key Infrastructure (RPKI), which he said is an existing and available security upgrade through which we can ensure that BGP hijacking is a thing of the past.

While RPKI technology has been around for more than a decade, it was only recently that a bare majority of global Internet addresses were appropriately registered in RPKI to allow internet service providers to filter false routing advertisements and prevent attempts to hijack them, the NCD said.

On the government front, Coker said were working with interagency partners and the private sector on a roadmap to drive RPKI adoption across the board.

As part of that effort, he said several Commerce Department component agencies two weeks ago signed model contracts Registration Service Agreements to register their address space and create route origin authorizations, or ROAs.

Those contracts, he said, are based on work done by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and are models for other agencies across the government to follow.

Coker said hes looking for strong progress on the effort this year.

By the end of the year, we expect over 50 percent of the Federal advertised IP space to be covered by Registration Service Agreements, paving the way to establish ROAs for Federal networks, he told the NSTAC.

We recognize that implementing RPKI is a first step in improving internet routing security, Coker said. Collectively, we have much more to do to secure the technical foundations of the Internet going forward, and we look forward to the government and private sector working together to address these critical challenges.

During his NSTAC presentation, Coker recounted BGP security problems stretching back as far as 2008, and a finding from 2018 that internet traffic from western countries was being routed far out of its way through servers in China.

More recently, we have seen the sophistication of BGP hijacks increase, Coker said. These hijacks are often used as stepping-stone attacks to subvert other foundational Internet Protocols, including domain name systems and the web public key infrastructure. The end objective of these BGP attacks is often to gather account credentials or install malware used to steal cryptocurrency. Recent incidents have resulted in losses in the millions of dollars.

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NCD Pledges Strong Push to Improve Internet Routing Security - MeriTalk

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How to install antivirus and scan your computer - Komando.com - Komando

The .au Domain Administration (auDA) has unveiled its Digital Lives of Australians 2024 report, highlighting the crucial role of the internet in Australian society while also drawing attention to increasing cyber security concerns.

Based on a survey that involved 1,500 consumers and 400 small businesses, the report reveals that nearly all Australian consumers (99%) and the majority of small businesses (97%) find significant value in using the internet. Despite this, approximately 64% of consumers and 55% of small businesses are limiting their online activities due to fears over cyber security.

This annual research, now in its fourth year, assesses the online experiences of Australians. It covers various aspects, including the benefits of the internet, views on emerging technologies, and attitudes towards cyber security and digital skills for the future. It is clear from the survey results that anxiety over internet security is a dominant issue for both consumers and small businesses.

The report discloses several key findings:

Nine out of ten working Australians (88%) rely on the internet for their jobs, while 78% of small businesses struggle to operate without it. There is also growing confidence in Artificial Intelligence (AI), with 39% of employed Australians believing AI skills will enhance their job prospects, and 48% of small businesses thinking AI tools will boost their operational efficiency.

Nonetheless, cyber security threats have touched a vast majority, with 77% of consumers recalling a cyber threat or attack in the past year. Many have received scam messages or suffered hacking incidents.

According to the survey, two out of five consumers (43%) and small businesses (40%) express a desire to enhance their online security but lack the know-how. Moreover, nearly half of consumers (48%) and over a third of small businesses (35%) do not know where to report a data breach. High expectations are placed on companies, with 83% of consumers and 79% of businesses believing that firms should do more to protect personal information.

There is also a significant skill gap in cyber security. While 62% of consumers and 77% of small businesses view cyber security skills as crucial for their future, only 13% of consumers and 24% of businesses feel highly competent in this area.

auDA CEO Rosemary Sinclair AM stated that the report reinforces the indispensable value of a secure and open internet for Australias social and economic fabric. Sinclair noted that even though Australians appreciate the benefits of the internet, their engagement is hindered by concerns over cyber security.

Sinclair emphasised the need for reliable and accessible cyber security training and resources to build confidence among Australians. She likened the effort needed to improve cyber security awareness to that of nationwide road safety campaigns.

In closing, Sinclair urged industry leaders, government entities, businesses, and educational institutions to utilise the findings of the Digital Lives of Australians 2024 report to make informed decisions that would help Australia fully leverage the potential of the internet in a secure manner.

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Report reveals cybersecurity anxiety among Australians - IT Brief Australia