3-Minute Mesa City Council Study Session Mon 20 March 2017

STUDY SESSION?
Published: March 20, 2017
Views: 2 [including your MesaZona blogger]
Mayor John Giles absent and excused ... Quick scan of regular meeting agenda with no looking in detail at anything, no comments and no questions.
Discussion about increase in utilities charges put off until April 13th, per 90-day notification requirements as stated in last week's study session

Mesa City Council Meeting Mon 20 March 2017

CITIZEN ENGAGEMENT?
Mayor John Giles absent and excused. Usual fast reading of the entire Consent Agenda by head of the City of Mesa Newsroom, the golden-voiced Kevin Christopher.
Do your elected members on the City Council even have a clue what these items are?
One speaker card about an EcoCar competition about re=designing a Chevy Camaro, from public relations director to fulfill her requirements 
Published on Mar 20, 2017
Views: 3
Duration: 11:16

Declassified Nuclear Tests Films 1945-1962 Released

Why now?

Published on Mar 20, 2017

Views: 7,210

Our Website, http://www.BPEarthWatch.Com The U.S. conducted 210 atmospheric nuclear tests between 1945 and 1962, with multiple cameras capturing each event at around 2,400 frames per second. But in the decades since, around 10,000 of these films sat idle, scattered across the country in high-security vaults. Not only were they gathering dust, the film material itself was slowly decomposing, bringing the data they contained to the brink of being lost forever.

For the past five years, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) weapon physicist Greg Spriggs and a crack team of film experts, archivists and software developers have been on a mission to hunt down, scan, reanalyze and declassify these decomposing films. The goals are to preserve the films’ content before it’s lost forever, and provide better data to the post-testing-era scientists who use computer codes to help certify that the aging U.S. nuclear deterrent remains safe, secure and effective.https://www.llnl.gov/news

No Worries? Here In Mesa > AZ Cyber Warfare Range

A simple definition of Cyber Warfare would be ‘ the use of hacking or other unethical methods to attack a specific target on the internet, with an aim to cause disruption or damage’ but the vast scope of this topic cannot be restricted to this simple sentence because it makes it rather problematic. The ethical standpoints? How can one become a target in a virtual world? What damages are we talking about?

The internet, like any society, is characterized by political rivalry – which is perhaps the largest area of Cyberwarfare.
It is marked by the actions and reactions of a nation-state or an international organization, who are at constant rivalry and attempt to disrupt and damage each other’s networks
just take a look at the incredible amount or records leaked in 2016 in this chart: 3.1 billion records leaked in data breaches and cyber attacks in 2016
Source: https://infogr.am/
This was a news story six days ago on KJZZ
Hackers Take Aim At The Arizona Cyber Warfare Range

By  Matthew Casey 

Published: Tuesday, March 14, 2017 - 5:00am

Updated: Tuesday, March 14, 2017 - 2:13pm

Source: KJZZ

Budding hackers huddle in a secure, windowless room as they gulp energy drinks and munch on pizza. Their job is to unleash cyber attacks on the millions of dollars worth of computer equipment at the Arizona Cyber Warfare Range. The goal is to break the gear, so they can learn how to protect it.

“In order to defend yourself from cyber attacks, you need to know the methods and techniques that cybercriminals are utilizing in programs to help defend yourself,” said Joshua Harp, who’s volunteered for years at the Range.

• Russian hackers tried to influence the 2016 presidential election.
• The Chinese may have stolen millions of Social Security numbers.
• Experts warn incidents like these show the United States is losing the cyberwar.

The Arizona Cyber Warfare Range is a Mesa-based nonprofit seeking to turn the tide by training warriors to defend against hacks. 
Operational Partners include AZ Labs leased from and owned by the City of Mesa, ACTRA AZ and several more coming soon.
On June 23, 2011, the Mesa, AZ City Council approved an Interim Lease with the United States Air Force for the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL), and a property management/business assistance agreement with Alion Science and Technology. 
AZ Labs retains the security protocols of the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory, in Mesa, AZ.
AZ Labs can support a broad range of sensitive projects, including conferences, workshops, experiments, prototype evaluations, distributed test and training with access to a highly skilled, DoD-focused workforce. AZ Labs the freedom to innovate in privacy.
Privacy is provided in the form of secure workspaces with access to restricted airspace, ideally positioned to accommodate the sensitive research programs.                

AZ Labs can support a broad range of sensitive projects, including conferences, workshops, experiments, prototype evaluations, distributed test and training with access to a highly skilled, DoD-focused workforce.

- Dane Mullenix, Director on http://www.azlabs.org/

AZ Labs is managed by Alion Science and Technology for the City of Mesa, AZ.
Alion is a technology solution company delivering technical expertise & operational support to the Department of Defense, civilian government agencies & commercial customers.
Visit the Alion website for more details - www.alionscience.com

LOCATION
Adjacent to Arizona State University Polytechnic campus, Chandler-Gilbert Community College, & Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University Mesa.
Close proximity to existing restricted airspace, & Military Operation Areas
Three 10,000-plus ft. runways, taxiways, parking aprons, & DoD fueling station within half mile

 

 

 

 

 

 

Features and Capabilities

The Arizona Laboratories for Security and Defense Research (AZLabs) is a full-service research facility, well suited for hosting sensitive research projects.
Encompassing 92,000 sq. ft., AZLabs can support a broad range of sensitive projects, including conferences, workshops, experiments, prototype evaluations, distributed test & training with access to a highly skilled DoD-focused workforce.
FACILITY FEATURES

• Engineered to the highest security standards
• Fabrication & welding shops onsite
• Access to robust fiber infrastructure that is secured, has high-bandwidth voice & data communications
• 24/7 onsite security
• Office furnishings
• Housekeeping, groundskeeping, maintenance
• Space for 250 scientists/researchers

AZ Labs has the potential to be the economic center of security and defense research not only for the East Valley but for the entire State of Arizona.

Now back to the KJZZ where it continues
But laws, like the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act, make learning how to hack risky, Harp said.
The Range, with its cyber targets, gives people a place to gain these skills without threat of prosecution. It’s an educational environment.
“If I was doing what I did here, without the sanctions that I receive through here, it would mean prison time for me,” Harp said to KLZZ's reporter.

Cyberwar adversaries have a different approach to hackers, Harp said. They encourage them.
“Russians want to go to prison for the cybercrimes they commit because that means the Russian government will come to them with a job offer,” Harp said. “In China, if you show aptitude with computers, then you show aptitude to be part of their hacking team."
The Arizona Cyber Warfare Range works with about 5,000 hackers. Their skill levels vary from beginner to Jedi. A good cyberwarrior is a problem-solver and an adaptive thinker, said Range co-founder, Brett L. Scott. [seen on the right]

“Even though everybody says, ‘Oh my God hackers, big scary monster.’ The bottom line is we are an unclassified entity that allows people to come in and learn critical skill sets,” Scott said.
Scott started programming computers when he was 6 years old. His career path eventually led him into cybersecurity, and it wasn’t long before the FBI and Secret Service started coming to his lectures.
“I began assisting Uncle Sam with complex questions that they were not able to obtain answers to, but I had first-hand knowledge of,” Scott said.
By outlawing hacking, Scott said the government keeps cybersecurity professionals from understanding the weapons used against them. He warns that future generations face competition against technology that was invented here but may be stolen by other countries. 
“We are doomed if we do not very quickly generate a capable set of cyberwarriors to change our destiny,” Scott said.

The mood inside the Range doesn’t always reflect the high stakes Scott described. Inappropriate jokes are common. Sometimes the hackers act more like rowdy frat boys than stereotypical computer nerds.
Volunteer Joyce Vogt is one of the few women around. She puts up with this behavior because, at the Range, she can let her skillset shine.

“These guys are cowboys, right? For me, it’s really reinforced that I really like going into environments that are lacking in civility and lacking in structure," Vogt said. "And then standing up structure as part of my work."
There are lots of ways to hack a government, and public-private partnerships are particularly vulnerable, said Vogt, who owns a data analytics firm and a cybersecurity company, which grew out of her work at the Range.
“I think there is just a general attitude of, ‘It hasn’t happened to me. Who am I? Who’s going to want to hack into my network?’” Vogt said.
Cyberdefense is typically reactive. Yet the Range’s founders have compiled a list of global cyberthreats and built a proactive defense network. Vogt and her team plan to bring that to market. Because they think it’s the cybersecurity model that will play out in the next three to five years.
“Any traffic that’s accessing a network — we can run that against the larger database to be able to determine, ‘Is this already a known threat?' 'Cause if it is, we should stop them at the door,” Vogt said.

On Twitter > https://twitter.com/azcwr
Website: http://azcwr.org/
On Google+ https://plus.google.com/communities/109709683526296474584

Cyber Warfare in 2017

PART 1 of 3: The invisible Global Wild West

A Story in The Making

If you look back at the greatest inventions made in the last few decades, none becomes as significant as the internet.

Originally developed to help the progress of computer technology, the internet has since then, crossed numerous milestones of information and resource availability, communication, commerce, entertainment and globalization as a whole.

What if this online space is turned into a battleground, a space for aggressive attack and damage, misused by different players as a part of rivalry?

 

Techno Thirst

Tesla Energy is Getting Serious – A Battery Powered World?

SURE, why not?

10-Page Agenda for Mesa City Council Meeting 20 March 2017

City Council Meeting Information and Agendas
Go here >> http://www.mesaaz.gov/city-hall/mayor-council
The Mesa City Council believes that its people, not leaders, are what makes a City great and actively works to encourage citizen participation in the decision-making process. Whether it is through neighborhood meetings, advisory boards and committees, telephone calls and letters, or email, the Mesa City Council sets policies based on the input and needs of its citizens. Mesa operates under a charter form of government with citizens electing a mayor and six councilmembers to set policy for the City.
Agendas can be found using this link >>
Council. Board and Committee Research Center
http://mesa.legistar.com/Calendar.aspx




Here's just two of the action items on the Consent Agenda
ITEM *4-j 17-0294
Total contract award = $169,646.09
Purchase to Upgrade Computer Disk-Based Storage for the Police Department as requested by the Information Technology Department (Citywide)
Based on the growth of electronic information needs within the Police Department, both from new project initiatives, as well as, normal annual data storage increases from operations, there is an immediate need to expand computer disk-based storage capacity.  Stop-gap measures have been implemented to control growth, but additional capacity is now needed to ensure recoverability of critical data.
The Information Technology and Police Departments, and Purchasing recommend authorizing the purchase using State of Arizona cooperative contracts and the lowest-quoted vendors, Transource Services Corp, at $83,893.32 and Custom Storage (cStor), at $1,859.55; for a combined total of $85,752.87.
Link http://mesa.legistar.com/gateway.aspx?m=l&id=/matter.aspx?key=10422 


ITEM *4-k 17-0312
Purchase of Replacement IT Security Management Software for the Information Technology Department (Citywide)
The software will prevent any direct access to our critical servers by outside threats. 
The current platform is on extended support with its manufacturer and has not received new functionality for several years.  It is running on aging server hardware that has reached its planned retirement date.
The Information Technology Department and Purchasing recommend authorizing the purchase from the Maricopa County cooperative contract and lowest quoted vendor, SHI at $81,658.58.
Link http://mesa.legistar.com/gateway.aspx?m=l&id=/matter.aspx?key=10440
 

Stingray [Surveillance Technology Documentary]

Published on Feb 13, 2017

They're used by police, federal officials and hackers. They can read your text messages, see where you are and more. They go by many names but some know them as Stingrays. But what is a Stingray? Dive into the world of surveillance technology.

Facebook.com/StingrayFilm

Official Selection of the Direct Monthly Online Film Festival
Winner of a Student Production Award at the Rocky Mountain Regional Emmys