The Big One
Chris: President Obama has called hacking and cyberattacks against the U.S. a national emergency, signing a new executive order. The news comes only weeks after the Senate Intelligence Committee voted on the passage of CISA, which in an ideal world will enable an information network between the private and public sphere, to combat cyberthreats. The new EO effectively gives the Treasury Department the power to place sanctions on suspects of digital attacks and espionage, freezing their assets via the U.S. financial system and restricting domestic companies from doing business with them.
Be it a state actor, hacking collective and/or individual cybercriminal, Barry and co. want to take this threat seriously. Whether lawmakers are capable of understanding it is a far different question, however. In addition, it is unclear what sort of oversight the Treasury Department will be afforded given their new authoritative responsibility.
Eric: The president has been building to this for a while. He hinted at it right after the Sony hack and he's been working to improve communications between companies and law enforcement to improve cybersecurity. As Chris pointed out, lawmakers may not necessarily understand what the experts are doing, but that doesn't make it less important.
Making Moves
Chris: TransitScreen, a transportation software and digital signage company and a pioneer in providing real-time transit information displays, with offices in DC and CA, has signed a partnership with the Montgomery County Department of Transportation (MCDOT). The project will build portals in public buildings, which will display travel information options that are available near each particular location. MCDOT hopes to expand the program to regional service centers, libraries, recreation centers and other County facilities, in the coming months.
- TaaSera, a Cupertino, CA and McLean, VA-based cybersecurity provider of preemptive breach detection, announced that it has secured $4.1 million in bridge funding as part of a $15M Series B financing. A group of individual, private angel investors led the round. In prior funding rounds TaaSera raised $15.3M. TaaSera develops enterprise products to detect evidence of malicious malware behaviors before data is lost or stolen in potential data breaches. With a current staff size of 65, the company plans to hire 10 new employees in its McLean, Va., space.
Community -- #TechMadness:
Chris: We are down to the Final Four of our #DCTechMadness competition and it has been a wild ride so far. Low-seeded squads have gotten crushed by some promising high-seed companies, like UrbanStems (16) and Contactually (11). Be sure to vote and spread the word. Yes, the next round will be the final. Your votes will decide the champion of #DCTechMadness…
Vote.Vote.VoteEric: My bracket has been killed by all these cinderella stories, but that's what makes the competition so exciting. Better get your votes in now as the races become tighter and the stakes higher.
What We're Reading
- How to Buy Apple Watch: Here's What to Know
- These Are the Top Reasons Most DC Commuters Still Refuse to Bike [Chart]
- 5 of the Funniest April Fool's Day Pranks Pulled by Local Universities
- Maryland and Virginia Seniors Place 1st and 3rd in AP Score Rankings
Reach out
Tips? Rumblings? Complaints? Something you want to see in the email? Reid@dcinno.com, Chris@dcinno.com
