Cybersecurity is arguably as important if not exceeds the US Military in importance. The private sector, civilian businesses and personnel, lost more than one trillion dollars in 2008 as a result of cyberattacks. The four and a half million dollar Predator, the name of a certain type of military drone, had its camera feed hacked by a twenty-six dollar piece of software widely available on the Internet. The government nor the private sector are immune to security breaches, but which group is better equipped to protect America’s interests? Some critics will claim the private sector should set the standard for companies to follow. Opponents believe only the government has the power to establish a baseline for which the government and the
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A prime example of the US responding to existential threats was the creation of the Department Homeland Security (DHS) eleven days after 9/11. DHS was nominated with the monumental task of cybersecurity. In 2008, the Pentagon had one hundred thousand attempted breaches. Criminals take the path of least resistance to make their heists. Of all successful attempts on American soil, only two percent of the successful breaches happened to government computers. This means ninety-eight percent of all successful attacks breached private sector companies. Who has the better track record when it comes to protecting valued …show more content…
The Bush administration created the DHS which made an entire branch in the department of defense dedicated to cybersecurity. The Obama administration strengthened the initial groundwork laid out by the previous administration by bringing in the private sector and foreign governments to combat the constant threats. Cyber Information Sharing and Collaboration Program (CISCP) is an initiative created by the government to allow the sharing of attacks and breaches within a vetted group of companies and government agencies. As of July 2015, 125 various private sector companies shared twenty-eight thousand indicators to help combat intrusions. The government has an additional 156 companies requesting permission to join this cyber task force. Working as a team instead of individuals, money, time and resources are saved. The government has reached out to various agencies within the government to practice drills. The Environmental Protection Agency participates in drinking water and waste treatment plant exercises to attempt to overcome possible malicious intrusions. Furthermore, the US government is able to make negotiations with foreign governments such as China to stop future private sector intrusions. The US private sector receives more intrusion attempts from China than any other country in the world. This agreement is not something the private sector would have been able to
A prime example of the US responding to existential threats was the creation of the Department Homeland Security (DHS) eleven days after 9/11. DHS was nominated with the monumental task of cybersecurity. In 2008, the Pentagon had one hundred thousand attempted breaches. Criminals take the path of least resistance to make their heists. Of all successful attempts on American soil, only two percent of the successful breaches happened to government computers. This means ninety-eight percent of all successful attacks breached private sector companies. Who has the better track record when it comes to protecting valued …show more content…
The Bush administration created the DHS which made an entire branch in the department of defense dedicated to cybersecurity. The Obama administration strengthened the initial groundwork laid out by the previous administration by bringing in the private sector and foreign governments to combat the constant threats. Cyber Information Sharing and Collaboration Program (CISCP) is an initiative created by the government to allow the sharing of attacks and breaches within a vetted group of companies and government agencies. As of July 2015, 125 various private sector companies shared twenty-eight thousand indicators to help combat intrusions. The government has an additional 156 companies requesting permission to join this cyber task force. Working as a team instead of individuals, money, time and resources are saved. The government has reached out to various agencies within the government to practice drills. The Environmental Protection Agency participates in drinking water and waste treatment plant exercises to attempt to overcome possible malicious intrusions. Furthermore, the US government is able to make negotiations with foreign governments such as China to stop future private sector intrusions. The US private sector receives more intrusion attempts from China than any other country in the world. This agreement is not something the private sector would have been able to