Cyber security measures become law in US
President Obama has signed five new acts into US legislation that aim to tackle the increasing cyber threats faced by businesses and other organizations. The National Cybersecurity Protection Act of 2014 should create a better framework for sharing information about risks and attacks via the National Cybersecurity and Communications Information Center. NCCIC will share information to the public and private sectors and offer advice, incident response and technical support to federal and non-federal agencies. It will not have the power to insist on specifications for cyber security. There are also acts to bolster the cyber-defenses of government departments; a ‘preparedness’ audit for the Department of Homeland Security to ensure it is ready to meet its obligations regarding cyber attacks; a requirement for government technology facilities to work to develop better defenses; and a requirement for fair compensation for cybersecurity personnel at the DHS and Department of Defense. Crucially there is nothing in the new laws that compel the private sector to improve or set standards for cyber defenses.
More cars make list of safest vehicles
The latest round of ratings for vehicle safety has almost doubled in size with 71 vehicles deemed worthy of Top Safety Pick or Top Safety Pick +. The list is compiled by the Insurance Institute of Highway Safety and has increased from 39 vehicles a year ago despite the criteria for the top award being toughened. Vehicle structure and the inclusion of safety warning systems all count towards the award and the IIHS says that auto manufacturers are rising to the increasingly hard challenges set in order to achieve these awards. Read the full list.
Radian agrees to sell bond insurance unit
The bond insurance division of Radian is to be sold to Assured Guaranty Corp. for $810 million. With forthcoming new rules governing firms that do business with Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, Radian has offloaded its riskier business to the Bermuda-based Assured Guaranty and will concentrate on its core business of mortgage insurance. The sale should allow Radian to fully comply with the tighter regulations while filling the gap in its revenue.
Climate change to increase risk of deadly dengue disease
The deadly disease dengue, which favors hot climates such as Africa, could spread to large parts of Europe and South America if global warming continues. The warning from the United Nations University comes as its published the first ever map of dengue vulnerability. The disease is spread by mosquitoes which must be quickly destroyed by fumigation to minimise risk. The areas at risk are currently too cold for year-round mosquito habitats but global warming could change that. The painful dengue disease has no vaccine currently and infects around 100 million each year with 20,000 deaths according to the World Health Organisation.
