A U.S. State Department purchase of more than 15,000 computers made by Lenovo Group of China is starting to draw criticism, in the latest sign of American unease about the role of foreign companies in the domestic economy. I’m sorry; last year wasn’t this called “IBM”? I know somewhere in the DC area a certain…

Sometimes the most useful information is in plain sight—as long as you know where to look for it. . . . and “One of the non-negotiables I will impose [is single sign-on],” Jardines said. “We may not take the five or six separate networks and tell them, ‘You have to do away with yours,’ [but]…

Uncle Cofer wants you! Upon further reflection, I have to add, what a joy it must be to deploy with such an outfit. Imagine every Army (or Marine) deployment you’ve ever been on only without the hurry-up-and-wait, the endless paperwork, the outrageously clumsy and oudated equipment, and the drudgery. How successful would such an endeavor…

I won’t attempt to pile on the good work that has been done here and here in addressing those would wave a dismissive hand at the public release of captured media. I’ll merely point out to all the nay-sayers and unoriginal thinkers that there is nothing stopping you from forming your own Army and producing…

Installing radiation detectors at U.S. entry points is taking too long and costing too much, says a congressional watchdog agency whose undercover investigators breached security by slipping nuclear material into the United States. In a test last year, the small amounts of cesium-137, which is used in industrial gauges, triggered radiation alarms in Texas and…

According to FBI chief information officer Zalmai Azmi, the agency lacks the funds necessary to deploy essential technology, such as e-mail, for its investigators. Azmi said the bureau’s annual budget of $10 billion for unclassified networks barely covers costs and can only provide e-mail for 22,000 of its 30,000 employees. The FBI has set up…

Commentary on the released docs from beyond the grave.

Did I mention that the gargoyles are here?

If you or someone you know is up on naval history – in particular piracy issues – from the1700-1800s, please drop me a line. Working on a little side writing project and need some expertise. You can be as anonymous as you want to be.

On the road the last few days meeting up with some old colleagues and hanging with the Agora (thanks all). The real computer security threat in the Pacific Northwest? The static charge released when two hundred computer security experts in an auditorium remove their fleece jackets at the same time. Got about four days of…