CYBERWAR/JUSTICE DEPARTMENT/RUSSIA: “A telecom software company has agreed to resolve a criminal investigation of its use of uncleared Russian nationals working in Russia on a U.S. defense project by implementing a security plan that American officials hope will serve as a new industry model.
The Justice Department said Monday [12-11-17] it had agreed not to prosecute Netcracker Technology Corp., of Waltham, Mass., in a long-running investigation of its contract with the Defense Information Systems Agency. That agency provides telecommunications infrastructure for classified and other networks for the Defense Department around the world…
The settlement comes as companies are trying to address potential vulnerabilities in their corporate networks that come from their connections with suppliers and other business partners, in many cases tightening cybersecurity requirements for members of these supply chains.
U.S. officials have sounded the alarm about using vendors with ties to Russia in particular because under Russian law, any data that transits through that country could be made available to Russian intelligence agencies.”
-Aruna Viswanatha and Del Quentin Wilber, “Software Firm Settles U.S. Security Probe Over Its Links to Russia,” The Wall Street Journal online, Dec. 11, 2017 10:00am