ShaneHarris.com » Magazine Stories

Plugging the Leaks

admin — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 14:48:30 +0000

“They already know who it is.” That’s how one former U.S. official responded the Justice Department’s years-long investigation of a suspected leaker of classified intelligence. So, why are prosecutors trying to force a well-known journalist to identify this suspect before a federal grand jury? And what does it mean for the future of a free press in the Obama administration? Read all about it in “Plugging the Leaks,” my latest feature for Washingtonian magazine. It’s on stands now and available online.

Hacking the Bad Guys

admin — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 18:43:54 +0000

The United States is fighting a new kind of war, but the first shots were fired a generation ago. Check out my feature story in Washingtonian about the rise of cyber security in the U.S. government, told through the tales of two key actors.

Cuffing Digital Detectives

admin — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 20:19:41 +0000

A judicial ruling on drug tests for athletes blossoms into a huge Fourth Amendment case.

Read the full story in National Journal.

The Cyberwar Plan

admin — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 13:03:56 +0000

A 2007 order by President Bush to launch a cyberattack on insurgents in Iraq played a more important role than is generally recognized in changing the course of the war. The order was a harbinger of things to come: Digital weapons are an increasingly important part of warfare.

Read the full story in National Journal.

Pentagon sharing classified cyber threat intelligence with companies

admin — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 14:46:00 +0000

In response to an unprecedented wave of attacks on the Defense Department’s computer networks, and possible theft of information about U.S. weapons systems by foreign governments, the Pentagon has quietly begun sharing classified intelligence about hackers and online threats with the country’s biggest defense contractors. The new intelligence partnership, which has not been previously reported, is known as the Defense Industrial Base initiative, or “the DIB.”

Tomorrow’s edition of National Journal will feature this story, which has already been posted to the Web site. (Free to non-subscribers.)

Also, in light of recent press reports about cyber spies penetrating the U.S. electrical grid, I’m enclosing a link to a story we ran last year on the cover of the magazine: “Computer hackers in China, including those working on behalf of the Chinese government and military, have penetrated deeply into the information systems of U.S. companies and government agencies, stolen proprietary information from American executives in advance of their business meetings in China, and, in a few cases, gained access to electric power plants in the United States.”

Hacking the Hill

admin — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 19:48:00 +0000

The cover story of today’s National Journal features a narrative about an unidentified hacker (or perhaps hackers) who compromised the computers of eight members of Congress and seven committees in the House of Representatives. Some members publicly blame China for the incident, and one calls it a case of “overseas espionage.” The story shows how House information security personnel discovered the penetration and worked to contain it.

Homeland Security Council Out?

admin — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 15:04:00 +0000

In today’s National Journal, I have a story about the incoming Obama administration’s plans for the White House Homeland Security Council. The president-elect’s team is considering changes that could dramatically enhance the influence of the president’s national security adviser, giving him a primary role in shaping disaster management and counter-terrorism policy within the United States.

Intel Officials Make Their Case

admin — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 21:05:00 +0000

Senior officials are making their case that the two Mikes–McConnell and Hayden–should stay at the helm of the intelligence community.

Executive Orders Offer ‘Quick Fix’ On Torture

admin — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 19:42:00 +0000

Calls are coming in for President-elect Obama to take quick and decisive action on interrogation and detention of terrorist suspects.

Intelligence memo details transition process

admin — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 17:19:00 +0000

National Journal has obtained a letter from intelligence director Mike McConnell, offering some new details on how the transition of the intelligence services will proceed. It looks like officials will be working more closely with team Obama than past incoming administrations. And until recently, it appears that the Vice President Elect, Joe Biden, opted not to receive any classified intelligence briefings from the current administration.