By Kendra Srivastava | Tue Jan 24, 2012 4:02 pm |
U.S. cyber-security will not shield businesses unless a crisis forces change, according to the former National Intelligence director, suggesting the government must work quickly to aid the private sector.
"Until we have a banking collapse or electric power goes off in the middle of a snowstorm for eight weeks, or something of that magnitude, we're likely just to talk about it and not do much," said Mike McConnell, former director of National Intelligence.McConnell suggested legislators advocate for further collaboration between the National Security Administration and U.S. companies. "There are unique things that the government can do. For example code-breaking. The private sector out there does not do code-breaking," he observed. "How would you harness that capability and then make it available to the private sector in a way that their infrastructure could be better protected?" The House Intelligence Committee is looking at the issue and recently passed the Cyber-Intelligence Sharing and Protection Act of 2011 last December in hopes of fostering cooperation between the NSA and U.S. corporations. The Sharing and Protection Act, which expands the NSA's pilot program from last summer, seeks to prevent hackers from damaging the U.S. financial and public works sectors. Threats to the electrical grid are very real, according to an MIT study, which warns six million miles of power lines are unprotected. The bill also shields companies from legal action if they voluntarily disclose security breaches. But it does not yet allow businesses access to sophisticated preventative tools like code-breaking. As a result, according to McConnell, the NSA is still "powerless to do a thing other than issue a report" in the event of cyber threats against the private sector, neutering the power of a strong ally as companies contend with increasing large-scale security breaches. Unless new legislation aids corporations in actively preventing cybercriminal attacks, as McConnell warns, the U.S. may see more high-profile breaches like those that struck Google, the Bank of America and countless other corporations. And, if lawmakers don't proactively seek a solution, a major breach may just force them to do so, making action perhaps too little, too late
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Wed Feb 22, 2012 1:29 pm | By
The incident rate for identity theft is rising, as customers choose smartphones for a growing number of activities and the fight against potential hackers gains momentum.
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Wed Feb 22, 2012 1:14 pm | By
Vice President Joe Biden revealed plans to expand wireless bandwidth, lifting a political barrier to spectrum allocation as the crunch intensifies in the wireless industry.
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Wed Feb 22, 2012 1:08 pm | By
Samsung will partner with Blockbuster for a new streaming video service, as manufacturers race to boost content for connected entertainment systems.
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Wed Feb 22, 2012 12:46 pm | By
T-Mobile plans to exclusively sell the Samsung Galaxy S Blaze 4G in March for $150 on a two-year contract, continuing the carrier's focus on high-end Android offerings.
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Wed Feb 22, 2012 12:35 pm | By
College basketball's March Madness is crazy fun for fans, but groups offering streaming of the 67 games are taking a new tack this year, debuting a rebranded service that will cost die-hard sports watchers who want to see every game.
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