Transgendered cybersecurity appointee makes history

Amanda Simpson made history yesterday in her first day on the job as the Senior Technical Advisor to the Department of Commerce Bureau of Industry and Security. Formerly test pilot Mitchell Simpson, the first openly-transgendered Presidential appointee is now responsible for the promotion of homeland, economic and cyber security. Simpson is a former Deputy Director in the Advanced Technology Development division of Raytheon.

The country of Cameroon started the New Year as home to the world's riskiest Internet sites according to cyber-security firm McAfee. VOA reports the country's government says it is drafting new laws to punish Internet fraud. McAfee says more than one-third of Web sites hosted in Cameroon are suspicious, putting the West African nation ahead of China, Samoa, the Philippines and the former Soviet Union as the world's riskiest destination for Internet surfers.

The Energy Department gears up to launch a group charged with protecting the nation's electric grid from hackers. A spokeswoman for Energy tells NextGov that soon, her department will start a competitive solicitation to identify potential participants. Goals for the independent task force will include setting policies and protocols to protect the grid. Congress mandated its creation in Energy's spending bill, and the department has until February 27th to get the group running. federalnewsradio