The dark side of social networking activity on the internet continues to generate much debate over maintaining information security levels, protection of individual rights of privacy, and in general, elements of compliance and risk management all rolled up into one controversial topic.

This article written by David F. Carr, a writer for the Government Computer News magazine, adds a unique perspective to that debate.  The focus of this article deals with not so much the twittering away of bits of information, as much, as trying to understand the risks involved with someone (i.e. an adversary) who puts those pieces of random information together and can potentially gain knowledge which can truly become a matter of national security.

Click here to read more about the Department of Defense’s perspective on this topic.

In an article written by Wyatt Kash in a current magazine issue by Government Computer News (GCN), you can read about a new National Security Control Catalog of information and security controls believed and expected to greatly improve federal cybersecurity standards.

Some of the information cited includes NIST Special Publication 800-53, NIST Special Publication 800-39: DRAFT Managing Risk from Information Systems: An Organizational Perspective.  Department of Defense (DOD) and other U.S. Intelligence Agencies also present  their efforts included in this catalog  to improve our federal cybersecurity standards.

Read more about these efforts to strengthen and improve our federal cybersecurity standards.

Red Flag Rules become effective August 1, 2009.  And, for many health service providers, most thought they would not be effected by those rules, if they did not charge interest for deferred payments from their patients.  This article by G. Christopher Kelly, of EMS Magazine, Online Exclusive, states that there is reason for these health care service providers to be concerned — this article is worth reading.

Click here to read Mr. Kelly’s article.