Cybersecurity = Personal Security

Cybersecurity is taking center stage on Capitol Hill.  There are several bills expected to move through committee in the House this week, and there will continue to be a lot of attention paid to the idea of an enhanced cybersecurity threat information sharing system.  ITI is firmly behind a strengthened information sharing defense that protects people’s security while it also safeguards privacy.   With clear restrictions on use, companies and law enforcement would share focused information with each other to help identify, counter, and stop cyber intrusions.  Information about personal activities like browsing history, transactions, or other user experiences would be protected.  We’re looking for a new system that can be fast, flexible, and forward thinking.
 
ITI is fully engaged with Members of Congress, industry experts, security professionals, and other stakeholders in an effort to strike the right balance between national security and personal security.  It’s crucial because what’s at stake will affect every American who uses social networking, online banking, or as much as an e-mail address.  Cybersecurity is personal security for each of us.  The data back that up.  Verizon’s Data Breach Investigations Report, out earlier this year, noted that 95 percent of all the data compromised by cyber intrusion in 2011 were of personal information – names, addresses, Social Security numbers, and so on.  That’s our personal data in jeopardy.  We’ve got to have a better cyber defense.
 
This morning, an article popped on siliconvalley.com that perfectly explains the current security cooperation between industry and government.  The bottom line:  threats to our security are real, and we must work together to find a solution.  ITI members are working to create the best cyber defense possible.  As the article points out, more needs to be done.
 
The article notes concerns that cybersecurity not be bureaucrat-heavy.  We strongly agree.  We need a new approach that’s fast, flexible, and forward-thinking to take on the new generation of cyber threats that we all face, and protects the basic structure and benefits of the Internet.
 

Public Policy Tags: Cybersecurity

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