The image above is not one of the drone that was spotted by a pilot flying into New York City, but it may appear something like this. Then again, it may not be the drone you’re looking for if you’re the FBI. The one they want was spotted by an Alitalia airlines pilot on final approach to John F. Kennedy Airport on Monday afternoon. It was small, only about three feet wide, and had four propellers. If you think that it was probably just an RC plane or something, keep in mind that it was seen at approximately 1,750 feet. Here’s the FBI’s release: On Monday, March, 4, 2013, at approximately 1:15 p.m., the pilot…

When a headline such as “Broad Powers Seen for Obama in Cyberstrikes” appears on the NY Times, my initial response is a skeptical one. I’ve long viewed the ways that the last two administrations have handled cybersecurity as failures to understand Golidilocks; they are too harsh when it isn’t warranted and lackadaisical in times of the greatest need. Many countries are growing more dangerous in the world of cyberterrorism with China leading the way. They are arguably more advanced than the United States in understanding the realities of cyberwarfare. To my pleasant surprise, the reported…

On December 12, 2012 the Federal Bureau of Investigations announced a cybercrime bust it had recently executed and credited Facebook’s security team as its primary collaborator.  The operation, which culminated in the arrest of 10 suspects, targeted an international assemblage of online offenders that the FBI labeled the ‘Butterfly Botnet.’  This cyber posse allegedly used a destructive breed of Malware, known as ‘Yahos,’ to corrupt 11 million computers and extract $850 million from unwitting victims, according to the FBI. A story like this evokes mixed reactions among…

The words “National Domestic Communications Assistance Center” sound harmless enough. It could be a call center for a tech support company. It could be a relay center for the telecom industry or a hub for amplified reach of broadband signals. The name is about as conspicuous and attention-grabbing as “please be quiet” sign at the library. In reality, NDCAC may be the start of the most powerful and potentially dangerous wing of the FBI. As CNET reports, the mandate is broad. With cybercriminal technology greatly outpacing their counterparts, the desperate need to be able to listen in on potential…